A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with the murder of an Old Bridge woman found shot in her own home.

Deborah Brown-Hepworth, widely known to friends as "Sonni," had been found unresponsive by a relative on Sept. 17, in her Hanna Lane residence in the Laurence Harbor area, police said.

Deborah Sonni Brown-Hepworth was killed in her Hanna Lane home (Google Maps)
Deborah "Sonni" Brown-Hepworth was found in her Hanna Lane home (Google Maps)
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The 65-year-old had suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead shortly after, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone.

Investigators found that Brown-Hepworth knew her attacker and identified 61-year-old Elizabeth Jackson as the suspect, the prosecutor said Friday.

On Thursday, Jackson was arrested at her home in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, police said. The community is a western suburb of Philadelphia.

In addition to first-degree murder, she has been charged with second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Police did not give further details on how Brown-Hepworth and Jackson knew each other.

Brown-Hepworth was pre-deceased by her husband Harry W. Hepworth Sr., in June.

Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area still has been asked to call Detective Addie Spinola of the Old Bridge Police Department at 732-721-5600 ext. 3181 or Detective Mark Morris of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3927.

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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