Cops: Berlin Man Suspected of Murdering Ex-Girlfriend Committed Suicide

The Berlin Township man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend has been found dead of an apparent suicide.

Berlin Township Police found the body of Michael Eitel, 45, at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday in the garage of a home on the first block of Holly Drive in West Berlin. He appeared to have committed suicide by hanging, Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo and Berlin Township Police Chief Leonard Check said.

Eitel had been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Carol Bowne.

Browne was his ex-girlfriend, and had a restraining order against him.

The home in which Eitel was found belonged to a different ex-girlfriend, who had been out of the house for her own safety.

That home had been checked and cleared Friday night, police said.

Detectives believe Eitel snuck in sometime overnight and hung himself in the garage with a rope while kneeling.

Police found Eitel when they returned to check the home on Saturday after the homeowner asked to come home. Officers were clearing the house again when they found him.

The U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities had been searching for Eitel since a warrant was issued for his arrest on Thursday.

Berlin Township Police found Browne lying in the driveway of her home on the 100 block of Patton Avenue with multiple stab wounds around 10:17 p.m. They had been responding to a 9-1-1 call about an assault.

Bowne was transported to Virtua Hospital in Berlin, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries at 11:22 p.m.