Category: Evesham Township

Burlington, Evesham Township

Jury Finds Evesham Man Guilty of Killing Friend and his Dog

September 2, 2023

Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that a 26-year-old Evesham man was found guilty Thursday in Superior Court of fatally stabbing a friend, as well as his dog, while robbing him in early 2022.

After deliberating for just over an hour, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Donovan G. Hollingsworth on charges of Murder (First Degree), Robbery (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree), Cruelty to Animals (Third Degree) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Fourth Degree). The Hon. Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C., scheduled sentencing for October 27 at the Burlington County Courthouse in Mount Holly. Hollingworth has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail since his arrest a few hours after the slayings.

The investigation began the morning of February 5, 2022, when officers from the Evesham Township Police Department were called to the Olympus Apartments on Baker Boulevard for a report of a possible dog attack on a resident. When officers arrived, they discovered Thomas Pierson III, 26, of Evesham, deceased inside his residence with multiple stab wounds.

The victim’s dog, a Cane Corso named Django, was found dead – also with stab wounds – on a stairwell landing. The investigation revealed that Hollingsworth traveled to Pierson’s apartment with the intention of robbing him. An altercation ensued, during which Hollingsworth stabbed Pierson and Django. Hollingsworth fled and was later taken into custody by Evesham Township police officers at the emergency room of Virtua Voorhees Hospital, where he had gone for treatment of minor injuries.

The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Evesham Township Police (NJ) Department. The lead investigators were BCPO Detective Sergeant Brian Cunningham and ETPD Detective Joseph Magnus.

Hollingsworth was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Bob VanGilst and Jasmine Bealor. Assistant Prosecutor VanGilst supervises the BCPO Major Crimes Unit.

After deliberating for just over an hour, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Donovan G. Hollingsworth on charges of Murder (First Degree), Robbery (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree), Cruelty to Animals (Third Degree) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Fourth Degree). The Hon. Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C., scheduled sentencing for October 27 at the Burlington County Courthouse in Mount Holly. Hollingworth has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail since his arrest a few hours after the slayings.

Burlington, Evesham Township

NJ Forest Fire Service Reports Wildfire In Evesham Burned 700 Acres And Is 90% Contained

June 11, 2023 Sunday Morning Update:

WILDFIRE UPDATE: Buzby Boggs Wildfire – Kettle Run Road – Evesham Twp., Burlington County

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has made significant progress containing a wildfire burning in the area of Kettle Run Road in Evesham Twp., Burlington County.

The wildfire remains 700 acres in size and is 90% contained.

ROAD CLOSURES

⚠️ Kettle Run Road is closed

STRUCTURES THREATENED

✅ 0 structures threatened

June 10, 2023 – UPDATE

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–

WILDFIRE UPDATE: Buzby Boggs Wildfire – Kettle Run Road – Evesham Twp., Burlington County

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service continues to make progress containing a wildfire burning in the area of Kettle Run Road in Evesham Twp., Burlington County.

The wildfire has reached 700 acres in size and is 65% contained.

ROAD CLOSURES
⚠️ Kettle Run Road is closed

STRUCTURES THREATENED
✅ 0 structures threatened

June 9, 2023

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is working on another wildfire tonight this time in Evesham Township.

NEW INCIDENT – WILDFIRE ALERT: Kettle Run – Evesham Twp., Burlington County

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is responding to a wildfire burning in the area of Kettle Run Road, Evesham Twp., Burlington County.

Please avoid the area at this time.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is also working another wildfire that started earlier today in Browns Mills, Bulington County. The fire is in the area of City Line Road and Butler Place Road in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest.
The wildfire has reached 350 acres in size and is 20% contained.

Burlington, Delran, Evesham Township, Mount Laurel

87 New Charges Accuse Former Mount Laurel Police Officer Of Illegally Accessing Social Media Accounts Of 18 Additional Women And Sharing The Nudes To Contacts

The investigation determined the commonality among all victims was that each one had a student email account through Rowan College of Burlington County. The investigation further determined that Taylor illegally accessed more than 2,800 RCBC email accounts. Some of this activity occurred while he was on duty and sitting in his patrol car, utilizing personal electronic devices.

December 2, 2022

Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Evesham Township Police Chief Walt Miller announced that a former Mount Laurel police officer who was charged in October with hacking into the social media accounts of an Evesham woman and distributing her nude pictures has been charged with victimizing multiple other women in a similar manner.

Ayron Taylor, 22, of Delran, was taken into custody on Wednesday and released this afternoon following a first appearance in Superior Court in Mount Holly. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.

Taylor faces 87 new charges that accuse him of illegally accessing the social media and email accounts of 18 additional women and in several instances distributing their nude photos to people on their contact lists. The complaints allege 28 counts of second-degree crimes that include Computer Criminal Activity and Distribution of Child Pornography, which was brought against him because some of the photos he accessed were taken before the victims became legal adults. The remaining 59 counts are third degree charges including Elements of Computer Theft and other cyber-related crimes.

The investigation began in September after the initial victim contacted Evesham Township police to report that her Snapchat and Facebook accounts had been hacked by an unknown person who then sent nude photos she had taken of herself to her Snapchat contacts, messaged them to her Facebook friends, and posted them on her Facebook wall.

The investigation determined the commonality among all victims was that each one had a student email account through Rowan College of Burlington County. The investigation further determined that Taylor illegally accessed more than 2,800 RCBC email accounts. Some of this activity occurred while he was on duty and sitting in his patrol car, utilizing personal electronic devices.

Taylor became a full-time officer in Mount Laurel after graduating from the police academy in October 2021. The department suspended him following the initial charges and began measures to terminate his employment. He has since resigned from the force.

RCBC officials have been cooperative with law enforcement throughout the investigation. The college released the following statement from President Dr. Michael A. Cioce:

“This is a repugnant cyber intrusion of privacy against the college and, especially, many of our students. Rowan College at Burlington County immediately strengthened network security upon the first report of the incident. Although there was no systemic failure of the college’s technology infrastructure, there is always opportunity for stronger security measures. The college’s Office of Student Support can provide assistance to victims who are impacted.”

Individuals who have an RCBC email account and suspect that their private photos were shared without authorization are asked to contact investigators at bcpohtc@co.burlington.nj.us.

The investigation, which is ongoing, is being conducted by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit and the Evesham Township Police Department, with assistance from the Delran Police Department and the Riverside Police Department. The lead investigator is ETPD Detective Christopher DeFrancesco, who is assigned to the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit as a Task Force Officer.

Taylor will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy, supervisor of the BCPO Insurance Fraud Unit.

All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Mount Laurel Police Officer Charged With Hacking Into Woman’s Social Media Accounts And Sends The Nudes To Her Contacts And Friends

Ayron Taylor, 22, of Delran, was taken into custody on Wednesday and released this afternoon following a first appearance in Superior Court in Mount Holly. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.

Taylor faces 87 new charges that accuse him of illegally accessing the social media and email accounts of 18 additional women and in several instances distributing their nude photos to people on their contact lists. The complaints allege 28 counts of second-degree crimes that include Computer Criminal Activity and Distribution of Child Pornography, which was brought against him because some of the photos he accessed were taken before the victims became legal adults. The remaining 59 counts are third degree charges including Elements of Computer Theft and other cyber-related crimes.

Ayron Taylor, 22, of Delran