Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi and Mount Laurel Police Chief Dennis Cribben, Jr. announced today that the husband of a Mount Laurel woman missing since New Year’s Eve has been charged with killing her.
Kyle J. Crosby, age 28, of 5201 Aberdeen Drive in Mount Laurel, was charged early this morning with one count of Murder for causing the death of his wife, Erica Crippen, age 26. Bail was set at $1 million. Crosby is being held in the Burlington County Jail.
He was taken into custody yesterday evening by Brooklawn police officers following a traffic stop and foot chase in Bellmawr, Camden County. In the trunk of the vehicle being driven by Crosby, investigators found several items they believe have evidential value in connection to her disappearance. Erica Crippen’s body has still not been located, but investigators are pursuing additional leads with respect to her whereabouts.
Crosby will appear in Superior Court today at 3 p.m. before the Hon. Susan L. Claypoole, J.S.C. Erica Crippen lived with Crosby and two children, a 7-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, and their 3-month-old daughter. Officers from the Mount Laurel Police Department were sent to the residence on January 7 for a wellness check after the older child failed to report to school that week.
Kyle Crosby signed a missing person report that day indicating he had not seen his wife since January 1. Further investigation led to a charge against Kyle Crosby filed on January 10 for Endangering the Welfare of a Child due to the level of care he provided to the children in the absence of his wife.
The existence of the charge allowed law enforcement officers to execute the traffic stop yesterday and detain Crosby. The investigation is being conducted by detectives from the Mount Laurel Police Department, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit.
Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Erica Crippen is asked to contact Burlington County Central Communications at 609-265-7113 or the Mount Laurel Police Department through Facebook at facebook@mountlaurelpd.org