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State ofNew JeYsey

Uf'~'10E OF THE A"TTORNEY GENERAL

CHRIS CHR[STIE

DEPARTn9ENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAI'ETY

Go~ernor

CHRISTOPHER S. PORRINO
Attorney General

DIVISION OF C12TNiINAL ~TfJS1'ICE

OFFICE OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER

KIM GUAllAGl\'O

F.C,IE HONIG

EnwiN H. ALBANO INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE

LieuterTant Governor

Director

NORTHERN REGIONAL MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE

3 Z5 NORFOLK STREE7'

NJ 07103-2701
TE~EpxoN~ (973) 648-7259 FAX (973) 648-3692
NEWARK

ANllREW L. FALLON~ M.D.

State Medical Exantirrer

18140365
SHCRIDAN JR., JOHN PATRICK

FINAL REPORT

THE AUTOPSY REPORT WAS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

CAUSE OF DEATH:

SHARP FORCE INJURIES AND SMOKE INHALATION

MANNER OF DEATH:

UNDETERMINED

AMENDEll BY:

DATE:

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Andrew L. Falzon NI. }
State Medical ~xaminel-

JANUARY 13, 2017

ALF/r~o
DIST: County Pros. Off; File (]) ALF (1)

REPORT NO"I' OFFICIAL WiTHOUT RAISED SEAL

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CHRISTOPHER S. PORRINO

State ofNew Jersey

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
CHRIS CHRISTIE
Governor

KiM GUADAGNO
Lieutenant Governor

DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY

DIVISION Or CRIMINAL JUSTICE
OFFICE OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER
PO Box 085
TRENTON, NJ 08625
Fax (609)984-4466
TELEPHONE (609}984-4883

Attorney General
ELIE HONIG

Director
ANDREW L. FALZON, M.D.

State Medical.Examiner

Case Review Re~~ort

John Patrick Sheridan ~ r.
Case# 1814-0305

In response to a request to amend the death certificate of_Jolin P. Sheridan Jr.(case# 1814-0365)~~~ho expired on
September 28, 2014, I have reviewed the followul~ items:
Autopsy report ofJohn P. Sheridan Jr. (1814-0365) which was conducted by Dr. L.ddy J. Lilavois on
September 29, 2014.
2. Autopsy report ofJoyce Sheridan (1814-0365) which was conducted by Dr. Eddy J. Li.lavois on September
30, 2014.
3. Scene and autopsy photographs taken by the N1ZME0 pertaining to John P. Sheridan Jr. ("1814-0.365) and
Joyce Sheridan (1814-0366).
4. Report of Investigation by Medical ~xam.iner (RIME) on John P. Sheridan Jr. and Joyce Sheridan.
5. DNA reports compiled by New Jersey State Police, Office of Forensic Sciences.
6. Medical records ofJohn P. Sheridan Jr.
7. Affidavit of Dr. Michael Baden consisting of review/opinion regarding the deaths ofJohn P. Sheridan Jr.
and Joyce Sheridan dated December 16, 2015.
8. Metallurgic evaluation of metal piece recovered at scene, which was conducted by Affiliated MRD,LLC.
9. Discussions with Dr. Eddy J. Lilavois, Assistant Medical Examiner who conducted the postmortem
exanvnations ofJohn P. Sheridan Jr. and Joyce Sheridan.
10. Discussions with Christine Schlenker and Tanvi Kothari, scientists with the NJ State Police, Office of
Forensic Sciences ~vho conducted DNA testing on evidence submitted.
1 1. The report of the Somerset County Prosecutors Office on the deaths oJohn P. Sheridan )r. and
Joyce C. Sheridan.
1.

Having reviewed the abovementioned documents, and after discussions with the persons indicated, my
conclusions are outlined below.

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New Jersey Is An Equal Opportunity F,mployer Printed on Recycled Paper and rs Recyclable

Opinion
Follo~uu~g this review, it is my opinion that the cause of death reinairis unchanged, namely:
"Shai-~~ force injuries and smoke inhalation."
Regaicling the determination of the manner of death,it was observed that the ~vounds documented on
the Uody ofJo}lri P. Sheridan Jr. have the appearance of self-inflicted ~~ounds. However, no weapon
was recovered from the scene that could be conclusively associated with the wounds sustained by Mr.
Sheridan. All this is unfortunately compounded by the extensive destruction of the scene by the fire.
It is therefore my opinion that the manner of death is Uest classified as "Undetermined." Should
additional information regarding the case become available in the future, the case will be re-evaluated
and amended if necessary.

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Andrew L. Falzon, I~ ,
State l~Ieciical Examuzer

Date

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New Jersey /s An Equal Opportunity F~nployer Printed on Recycled Paper and is tlecycfable

New Jersey Department of Health

Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
PO Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
AMENDMENT TO
NJ VITAL RECORD OF:
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BIRTH
DEATH

FETAL DEATH
MARRIAGE

State File Number

. REAFFIRMATION OF CIVIL UNION

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHpP

REMARRIAGE
CIVIL UNION

INFORMATION AS 17 APPEARS ON THE CURRENT RECORD:

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John Patrick Sheridan, Jr.

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Name (or Names, in the case of Marriage, Remarriage, Civi! Union, Reaffirmation of Civi! Union or Domestic Partnership)

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09 / 28 / 2014

Somerset

Montgomery Township_

(Date of Event)

(County of Event)

(City/Municipality of Evenf)

Item as Currently Recorded on Record

Field to be Arriended

Item as it Should Appear

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46:

Suicide

Undetermined

44:

Self inflicted injuries

Injuries of undetermined etiology

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Address
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1/13120't7
Relationship to Individual on Vital Record

325 Norfolk Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103

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Date

Andrew L. Falzon, MD, DABP

State Medical Examiner

Printed Name

ture of Witness (see Instructions)

_
ress

~ 3C. AFFIDAVIT SECTION

1/13/2017
Relationship to Individual on Vital Record

325 Norfolk Street, Newark, New Jersey 07103

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Date

Kathleen Rogers

Medical Examiner Clerical Staff

Subscribed and sworn to before me at

this
Signature

day of

, 20
Official Title

Documentation presented to establish the validity of the amended information reported in Section 2:

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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY DO NOT WRITE BELOW ~HiS LINE

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Certificate of Parentage Completed?

~ Yes No

Denial of Paternity Completed?

Yes No

Parents Given Option to Change Child's Last Name?

Yes No N/A