NJ Man Identified as Suspect in Cold Case Teen and Adult Murders
Breakthrough in Cold Case Murders
A New Jersey man, Francis T. Schooley, has been identified as the suspect in two decades-old cold case murders following advances in DNA technology. The victims were Marebeth Welsh and Jennifer Persia, who were killed in 1993 and 1994.
Details of the Crimes
On November 14, 1993, the body of Marebeth Welsh was discovered on a Camden sidewalk with signs of strangulation and sexual assault. Blood stains found at her home linked the crime scene, suggesting she was murdered elsewhere before being left there.
Several months later, on April 4, 1994, Jennifer Persia was found dead in Magnolia with multiple stab wounds and a ligature around her neck. She succumbed to cuts, strangulation, and blunt injuries.
Schooley's Connection and Investigation
The investigation revealed Schooley had connections to both victims. He worked at an auto shop owned by Persia's stepfather and had ties to Welsh through family acquaintances. Schooley died by suicide in 2000.
DNA evidence reexamined in 2025 confirmed Schooley's involvement using samples provided by his surviving family members. The prosecutor’s office stated that he would have faced charges if he were alive.
