Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and Maplewood Police Chief Jim DeVaul have announced that authorities are investigating an incident in which two people were killed early Saturday morning in Maplewood.
Police say, shortly after 6 am, Maplewood police officers responded to the area of Walton Road and Jefferson Avenue on a report of a woman being assaulted.
Arriving officers located an injured woman lying in the street. This victim was transported to Beth Israel Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 7:17 am.
Officials say, as Maplewood officers were canvassing the area of this incident, an unresponsive male was located within a residence in the 400 block of Walton Road.
This male was pronounced dead at the scene according to police.
The identity of the victims is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly, of the Prosecutor' Homicide Unit, who added that the cause of death for both victims will be determined by autopsies conduct at the Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Newark.
This incident is being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, and the Maplewood Police Department.
The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Prosecutor's Tips Line at (877) 847-7432.