New Jersey Cop Who Stalked Ex-Girlfriend, Fatally Shoots Her and Her New Boyfriend Before Killing Self
A New Jersey State Police lieutenant, who also served on Gov. Phil Murphy’s security detail, is accused of following his ex-girlfriend home from work Friday evening and fatally shooting her and her new boyfriend.
The shootings happened near a residence in the Pittstown section of Franklin Township. Dr. Lauren Semanchik, 33, a veterinarian, and Tyler Webb, 29, a firefighter, were found dead Saturday from apparent gunshot wounds, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
State Police Lt. Ricardo Jorge Santos is accused of shooting Semanchik and Webb turning the gun on himself, prosecutors said. He was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a white Mercedes SUV parked in Piscataway.
Santos and Semanchik Ended Their Relationship in September, He Still Continued to Contact Her and Placed Recording Devices in Her Home
According to prosecutors, Semanchik and Webb had recently started dating. She had ended a relationship with Santos around September. Her sister, Deanna Semanchik, said Semanchik and Santos met in early 2024. However, their relationship turned sour as Santos would start fights, accuse her of cheating and read her diary.
After about six months of dating, the pair broke up. Deanna Semanchik said Santos would repeatedly call and text her sister. She alleged that he placed recording devices in Semanchik’s home while she wasn’t there and vandalized her car.
Semanchik also sought help from Franklin Township police. Deanna Semanchik said her sister filed a police report with the department in May after her car was keyed. She said the department contacted Santos and told him he was suspected of vandalism.
Semanchik then went down to the station to speak with police in person but was told no one was available and given a phone number to call. Deanna Semanchik said her sister left a message but never heard back from the department.
Security Cameras Captured Santos Following Semanchik Before the Murder
On the day of the shootings, a video security system installed in Semanchik’s car captured a white Mercedes SUV following her as she drove home, the prosecutor’s office said. The video showed her leaving work in Long Valley on Friday as the SUV pulled out of a parking space and closely trailed her until she arrived home.
The video showed a person “surreptitiously walking through the wooded area along the driveway leading up to the residence,” prosecutors said. Webb’s vehicle then arrived at the home and parked next to Lauren Semanchik’s vehicle.
The prosecutor’s office said Franklin Township police were initially called to the area just after 7 p.m. Friday for reports of gunshots and screaming. Officers, however, did not find anything.
On Saturday afternoon, the police department got another 911 call reporting that a woman had been found unconscious at a home. When officers arrive at the scene, they discovered Semanchik’s and Webb’s bodies.
