A Ventnor City woman who is charged with the murders of her mother and grandmother was extradited today to New Jersey after she fled to New York City following the killings, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
According to authorities, Heather Barbera, 41, is charged with two counts of first-degree Murder, third-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (nightstick) and first-degree Robbery.
Officials say Barbera was returned to New Jersey on Aug. 2nd, by detectives from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Ventnor City Police.
Elaine Rosen, 87, and her daughter Michelle Gordon, 67, were found dead at approximately 10:25 a.m., on Sunday, July 8, 2018, inside a residence at 4800 Boardwalk, Ventnor City.
The cause of death for Rosen and Gordon is multiple blunt impact injuries and the manner of death is homicide.
Through the course of an investigation, it was learned that Barbera took a bus to New York City after committing the murders and she was identified by NYPD officers on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 11, 2018, at the Midtown Manhattan Port Authority located at 42nd Street and she was taken into custody. Before her extradition to New Jersey, Barbera was in custody at the Rose M. Singer Center, a women’s facility on Rikers Island.
Officials say Barbera is now in custody at the Atlantic County Justice Facility and she will have a first appearance on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, at 9 a.m. before Presiding Judge Bernard DeLury.
This is a joint investigation between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Ventnor City Police Department.
These charges are merely an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases, a charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page.
People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.