Two men, allegedly motivated by a cash sum of $8,000 a woman carried in her purse as she was on her way to purchase a car, have been arrested and charged with murder after they gave her a ride and then buried her alive, as reported by the Courier-Post.
East Camden resident and mother of two, F.P., was 41 years-old at the time of her death. C.A., 36, and R.O., 57, were arraigned in Camden's Superior Court on May 15.
According to Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah the two men placed duct tape over F.P.'s mouth and eyes and buried her in a shallow grave in a Monroe field, while she fought for breath before dying of asphyxiation.
F.P. had been reported missing on Monday May 12 and located on Wednesday May 14. Court records show that she had planned to purchase a car on Monday morning when she put $8,000 in her purse and was offered a lift from C.A. – an acquaintance of her family that had done some landscaping work at F.P.'s home.
C.A. told investigators that he and F.P. were engaged in an argument when she fell from his van and then, injured, she got back inside. With R.O.'s help, the two men then tied her up and placed the duct tape on her face.
R.O. has claimed that he did not assist C.A. in tying up the victim. Instead, he said that he entered the van after the victim had been bound, and listened to her plead for his help. C.A. continued to drive until he got to a rural area in Monroe, then instructed R.O. to use a shovel that was in the van and dig a grave just off Clayton Road.
According to officials, R.O. is an employee in C.A.'s landscaping company.
Records show that R.O. put F.P. into the grave, covered her with lime and then buried her. The two men tried to hide the grave with branches and debris.
A tip led police to an Express Inn on Route 38 in Cherry Hill where both men were arrested. C.A. was allegedly in possession of $7,000. R.O. later led investigators to F.P.'s grave.
Shah detailed the criminal history of both men during their court hearing: After choking his wife in 2006, C.A. pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. R.O. had served two three-year prison sentences; once for drug distribution in 1993 and again in 1995. Then in 1999 R.O. was convicted on drug possession and sentenced to probation, which he violated, and was placed back into jail. In 2002 he was given a 7-year sentence for a drug distribution conviction.
Shah said that both men, if found guilty of murder, face life in prison without parole. Both may also be facing charges of kidnapping. Their bail has been set at $5 million cash each.
F.P.'s family members, struggling with their grief, did not speak to reporters.
Camden County Police Chief S.T said, "As with all our missing person cases, the detectives' mission is to return the person to their loved ones as quickly as possible…I know that upon the finding of (F.P's) body, it cast a pall over the entire investigative bureau, as hearts were very heavy for the family."
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