WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (Gloucester) — A man was shot and killed during an argument over a dog on Wednesday morning.

Township police found Victor Marrero Jr., 39, dead around 10:25 AM in the parking lot of the Birches Apartments on Fries Mill Road, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Thomas Gilbert.

A witness told police that Zachary A. Lahneman, 26, a resident of the apartment complex in the Turnersville section, had shot Marrero following an argument and fight in the parking lot. Gilbert did not disclose the circumstances of the argument.

Marrero lives near the apartment complex, according to Gilbert.

Get our free mobile app

A GoFundMe page created by Sherry Beatty, Morrero's wife, to help with funeral expenses said the argument was over her family's dog.

Lahneman was arrested and charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. He was being held Friday at the Salem County Correctional Facility.

An autopsy by the Gloucester County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause and manner of death to be homicide by shooting.

Victor Marrero and his family
Victor Marrero and his family (Sherry Beatty via GoFundMe)
loading...

Death of a father

Beatty said her husband's death has completely upended the lives of her and their three children.

"Life happens so fast and has taken us by hurricane. We are now going to be relocating during the holidays and can’t even imagine what is going to happen over the next couple of weeks and/or months and need all the help and support we can to move forward and overcome these challenges we are soon going to be facing," Beatty said on her GoFundMe page.

Beatty on her Facebook page said Lahneman threatened to shoot their children if their dog was at the apartment complex.

She described what happened after Marrero was shot.

"My son crying alone looking for his dad until the police showed up at the house. Traumatized children. Uprooted family and dozens of family members mourning a life taken too soon," she wrote. "Rot in hell Zachary Lahneman. You are an example of a waste of a human being and of everyone’s time.

How much does the average NJ home cost? Median prices by county

Everything is costing more these days — and housing is certainly no exception in New Jersey.

Data for 2022 from January through August, compiled by New Jersey Realtors, shows that South Jersey has been seeing homes hit the market and sell in less than a month, on average.

Median prices for single-family homes have reached $500,000 and above in nine counties in North and Central Jersey.

All but two counties have seen houses go for more than the list price, on average, this year.

25 costliest hurricanes of all time

Although the full extent of damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the Southwest is still being realized, Ian is already being called one of the costliest storms to ever hit the U.S. Stacker took a look at NOAA data to extrapolate the costliest U.S. hurricanes of all time.  

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM