A veterinarian from New Jersey was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend, a State Police Sergeant, after he allegedly followed her home from work on Friday night, leading to a disturbing scene of gunfire and screams.
Dr. Lauren Semantick, who was 33, and her partner, Tyler Webb, aged 29, were discovered outside their home in Franklin Township on Saturday afternoon. Police reported that Ricardo Jorge Santos, Semantick’s former partner, shot both before taking his own life.
One neighbor recounted, “We heard shots and recognized quickly that it was a pistol, which is kind of unusual.” They added that there were a couple more shots, and then silence enveloped the area.
Another neighbor mentioned hearing “bloody screams” and described Semantick as being “terrified,” suggesting it sounded as though she was running for her life.
After the couple called 911, it took law enforcement at least ten minutes to arrive, but reportedly, they never went down the driveway to check on them.
Police only found the bodies 12 hours later, by which time Santos had already died by apparent suicide in his car, located around 30 minutes away.
According to dashcam footage, Santos was seen following Semantick home about an hour prior to the shooting incident. She left her job in Long Valley, Morris County, around 5:25 PM Friday. A white 2008 Mercedes SUV, identified as Santos’ vehicle, closely trailed her on the drive back.
A witness reported seeing someone walking through the woods toward Semantick’s home around 6:11 PM. Webb’s vehicle arrived at Semantick’s house about 30 minutes later, parked next to her own.
Gunfire and screams erupted around the area at 7:08 PM, leading to a 911 call from another neighbor. However, when police responded, they were unable to locate the source of the commotion. It wasn’t until around 12:22 PM on Saturday that authorities were alerted to an unconscious woman with apparent physical trauma at the scene.
The bodies of Semantick and Webb were discovered with gunshot wounds, while Santos was found dead in his Mercedes, alongside a semi-automatic handgun. The Middlesex County Medical Inspector’s office later ruled his death a suicide.
This shocking incident is currently under investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone with pertinent information is encouraged to reach out to Detective Sergeant David Peter or Detective Keyshaun Brooks at 908-788-1129.
