Mullica Twp. murder defendant convicted for wife’s death

He claimed that his shotgun fired accidentally while he cleaned it in 2014, but a jury didn't buy it. Now, Sergio DeRosa of Mullica Township faces 30 years to life, convicted Wednesday of murder in his spouse's death.

DeRosa's trial lasted six days, according to Atlantic County First Assistant Prosecutor Cary Shill. His September 2016 indictment for murder superseded a September 2015 manslaughter indictment by recklessly causing the death of Lynn DeRosa, 57.

According to details filed in the case, Mullica Township police arrived at the DeRosa house on Pleasant Mills Road at 9:24 AM on May 26, 2014, answering a 911 report.

Results of the autopsy, conducted the following day by Dr. Marianne Hamel of the Southern Regional Medical Examiner's Office, ruled the cause of death to be a shotgun wound to the head, and the manner of death to be homicide. DeRosa maintained that it was an accident.

DeRosa was apprehended after the verdict was announced. Since the superseding indictment, he had been free on $150,000 bail, under orders to stay within the state borders and to wear a GPS monitoring device.

Atlantic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy presented the state's case, under Shill's direction.