William Beattie, a retired New Jersey police officer, broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend Erin Gatier and shot her dead before committing suicide, according to the prosecution.
Both had 47 years. The murder-suicide was reported Monday when authorities found both bodies inside the home of Gatier, a mother of two, during a welfare check, the Gloucester County District Attorney’s office said.
“It was an abusive relationship, not physically, but mentally”
Matt Greenberg, co-worker of the victim
Beattie entered the home in South Jersey, reported
Press of Atlantic City. A Gatier co-worker from several years ago said that according to the victim Beattie was a problematic man.
“She admitted to me that he was troublesome, that she was a very controlling person, and that she wouldn’t let her talk to anyone that he thought she might be some kind of threat to him,” said former co-worker Matt Greenberg, of Pennsylvania. “It was an abusive relationship, not physically, but mentally.”
Beattie had to retire from the police force more than a decade ago due to “accidental disability,” state records show.
“Erin left behind two beautiful children who are tasked with unthinkable decisions and expenses,” indicated a page of GoFundMe started by friends looking to raise money for Gatier’s funeral costs.
In a similar case, in the middle of last month an off-duty police officer in Greece (NY) fatally shot a Hispanic woman from 36 years old, injured another and then shot herself.
And in May on “Mother’s Day” an NYPD police officer from 27 years old fatally shot a young man he suspected was having an affair with his wife and then committed suicide in Wallkill, Orange County (NY).
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