Barricade suspect charged in Burlington County standoff following homicide
BEVERLY — Police have charged a 27-year-old man with weapons offenses and kidnapping after he allegedly barricaded himself inside a Beverly home where another man lay dead.
Authorities also changed the cause of the death from a gunshot wound to bludgeoning after an autopsy was performed.
Burlington County Acting Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Beverly City Public Safety Director Rich Wolbert announced Wednesday that Larry Brown, 27, has been charged with kidnapping, unlawful possession of a weapon and a person not allowed to possess a weapon, all second-degree crimes.
As of Wednesday, no charges had been filed in connection with the homicide, but the investigation remains active. Brown was in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly on Wednesday pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
A media release identified the victim as Cecilio Luciano of Highland Park. Police provided no address for Brown.
Bradshaw said Brown barricaded himself in a Beverly City residence on Bentley Avenue early Tuesday morning when police went there after receiving information that a homicide had been committed inside the home a short time earlier.
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"The Beverly City Police Department received a call at approximately 1:15 a.m. (Tuesday) when they were contacted by a woman who indicated she herself had received a call from a man she knew who was inside the residence at the time.
The woman said Brown told her another man in the home, Cecilio Luciano, had been killed," the joint press statement said
"Police then became aware that a woman and four children who resided at the home were there with Brown. When contacted by police, Brown refused to exit the house, but the woman and kids emerged unharmed over the next several hours."
Brown then surrendered at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and was taken into custody.
Afterward, the New Jersey State Police TEAMS Unit entered the home and discovered Luciano’s body.
The preliminary investigation, based on information provided by some of the occupants, indicated that Luciano, 34, of Highland Park, had been fatally shot. according to law enforcement.
However, an autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood indicated he had been bludgeoned to death.
The investigation is being conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office with assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the state police and the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Lead investigators in the case are county detectives Jenn Marchese, Kevin Sobotka and Andrew Ridolfi.
All persons charged with crimes are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The barricade situation prompted Tuesday's police-ordered closure of Beverly's elementary school, also located on Bentley Avenue.
Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. If you have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email ccomegno@gannettnj.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Suspect charged after Burlington death but not with homicide
