NJ Man Was Shot in the Head, Killed by Step-son, Prosecutor Says

WOOLWICH — A township man was shot to death in his own home by his step-son, prosecutors announced Monday.

Woolwich Township Police responded to a 911 call Saturday after 4 PM, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

Officers found 43-year-old Dennis McKenzie at his Cottonwood Road home, dead after being shot in the head and back, authorities said.

McKenzie's step-son, Christian Smith, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested at the scene.

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An autopsy by the Gloucester County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed manner of death as homicide.

Smith, 23, is charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a weapon without a permit to carry.

He was being held at Salem County Jail, pending a detention hearing.

NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts

Over the past few years, state lawmakers have taken on the challenge of dealing with accused child predators among the ranks of teachers and educators.

In 2018, the so-called “pass the trash” law went into effect, requiring stricter New Jersey school background checks related to child abuse and sexual misconduct.

The follow individuals were arrested over the past several years. Some have been convicted and sentenced to prison, while others have accepted plea deals for probation.

Others cases are still pending, including some court delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.