VILLAS – Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Chief William Priole of the Lower Township Police Department announce the two deaths that occurred on Cardinal Avenue in the Villas section of Lower Township were a murder-suicident.
According to Sutherland, on Jan. 5, the Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office conducted autopsies and positively identified the two individuals as Kristin Ryan, 39 years old and Rick Ryan, 45 years old, both of 34 Cardinal Avenue, Villas.
Based on the preliminary investigation, Sutherland stated this tragic incident was not a random act but appears to have been a murder/suicide. Based on the evidence currently known, Detectives believe Rick Ryan shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself.
Sutherland stated this investigation is ongoing and urges anyone who may have information regarding this triadic incident to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 465-1135, or the Lower Township Police Department at (609) 886-1619, or report the information anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net and click on anonymous tip, or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers at (609) 889- 3597.