Another New Jersey municipal council member was shot dead in his car Wednesday. It is exactly a week after the unsolved slaying of Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour.
Police don’t believe Mrs. Dwumfour’s murder was politically motivated and they don’t think this next murder is either. However, it does seem dangerous to be a Republican there.
Russell Heller, 51, was found dead just after 7 a.m. in the Somerset parking lot of PSE&G, the local energy company where the Milford Republican worked.
Cops quickly IDed a former employee, Gary Curtis, 58, as a suspect — and found him dead in his car from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot around three and a half hours after the slaying.
Heller, of Milford, New Jersey, had served on the city council since 2020. He was also a senior distribution supervisor at PSE&G.
PSE&G released a statement, saying, “We are heartbroken at the tragic death of Russell Heller, senior distribution supervisor at PSE&G. Russell was an admired employee and a supervisor with over 11 years of service with PSE&G. He will be sorely missed by all, and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
“This event is tragic and disturbing, and we are offering support to our employees as they process this. We are cooperating with law enforcement with respect to their investigation.”
The shooting was reported some time after 7 a.m. outside a building at the Somerset Central Division Headquarters on Weston Canal Road near I-287.The Somerset County prosecutor’s office released the following statement Thursday morning:
“Investigators with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office along with Franklin Township Police continue to investigate the circumstances which led to the homicide shooting of Mr. Russell Heller yesterday in Franklin Township (Somerset County), New Jersey.
NOT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
Investigators have confirmed that Mr. Heller was a Republican Councilman for Milford Borough (Hunterdon County). The investigation has revealed that the shooting of Mr. Heller was not politically connected with his elected office or political affiliation.”
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Nothing suspicious about this at all (sarc).
The investigation confirms within 24-48 hours two Republican politicians have no enemies (sarc) in a far left state! That’s great police work! (sarc)
Two Republican Politicians killed in a Week and absolutely no political motivation. Right, got it!