Burlington County officials announced that the 31-year-old man charged yesterday with stealing the vehicle and debit card of a Mount Laurel woman found fatally bludgeoned in her home Wednesday has been charged with her death.
According to county officials, Andrew Kramer, of Mantua, was charged last night with Murder and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.
He is presently in custody in Philadelphia on weapons offenses and charges of simple assault and making terroristic threats.
The Prosecutor’s Office will seek to extradite him to New Jersey, where he will face a detention hearing in Superior Court.
According to officials, Kramer had recently been residing with the victim, Melissa Malcolm, 38, in her home in the 600 block of Mount Laurel Road but moved out at her request.
Officials said that she was found deceased in her bed on the afternoon of January 26 after officers from the Mount Laurel Police Department made entry into the residence to conduct a wellness check when she failed to show up for work.
An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined that Malcom died from injuries sustained to her head.
The investigation revealed that Kramer fled in Malcom’s 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee after killing her.
According to county officials, he faces additional charges of motor vehicle theft and using Malcolm’s debit card in the early morning hours of January 26 to withdraw cash from machines at convenience stores in Marlton and Brooklawn, where he was captured on a surveillance recording operating her vehicle and making a transaction.
Officials said that he was taken into custody later that day after officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were dispatched to a business in the 1500 block of Brandywine Street for a report of a man with a gun at approximately 5:45 p.m.
According to officials, upon arrival, officers were told by the caller that he was able to lock the man in a garage after being threatened at gunpoint for refusing to provide a ride when he was first approached.
County officials stated that Philadelphia police officers entered the business and found Kramer holding the gun under his chin.
After approximately 30 minutes of talking with Kramer, the officers were able to convince him to put down his loaded .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun.
“I’d like to commend the individual whom the defendant confronted in Philadelphia for his level-headed and resourceful response to this frightening encounter,” Prosecutor Coffina said.
“I’d like to equally acknowledge the excellent work by the Philadelphia Police Department in their response to the scene and their successful de-escalation of the situation that ensured the defendant did not harm any of the responding officers or himself.”