Mary J. Rodriguez Obituary, – The District Attorney’s Office has reported that authorities are currently investigating a suspected murder-suicide that took place on Monday evening in Cumberland County.
Vineland police responded to a shooting incident around 6 p.m., where they discovered a 21-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man with gunshot wounds at a residence located on Roosevelt Boulevard in Vineland, according to officials. Both individuals were airlifted to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where they were subsequently pronounced dead, as stated by Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the man shot the woman before turning the gun on himself, McRae indicated. Although the two were not married, they had a prior relationship. While the names of the deceased have not been disclosed due to privacy laws regarding domestic violence cases, the woman has been identified by the initials MR and the man as JCS.
The woman who lost her life in the incident was identified as Mary J. Rodriguez by her stepmother, Marianette Mercado, and her father, Noel Rodriguez. Although prosecutors did not release the name of the deceased man, Rodriguez’s family and a source familiar with the situation have identified him as Juan Correa Santiago.
According to Mercado, Rodriguez and Santiago had an on-and-off relationship for approximately three years and share a two-year-old child who is currently safe with family members.
“They attempted to resolve their issues, but it was unsuccessful, leading to their recent separation,” Mercado recounted, her voice filled with sorrow. “He took our Mary,” she lamented. Rodriguez’s father remembered her as a “wonderful and devoted young mother.”
She was employed as a medical assistant and had aspirations of becoming a nurse, as noted by her stepmother. “Mary was full of hopes and dreams and was on a transformative journey to create a secure future for herself and her child,” Mercado stated.
Jessica Mercado, the victim’s step-aunt, mentioned that Rodriguez had voiced concerns about the potential for violence from her ex-boyfriend. “She was frightened and was attempting to escape the situation,” her step-aunt remarked. “She wanted to…”
