Man Pleads Guilty in Murder of Ex-Wife; Charges to be Dropped Against Gloucester Township Woman

A Mount Laurel man has pleaded guilty to killing his wife last year on New Year’s Eve and later disposing of her body in a rural area in Maryland, Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi said Tuesday evening.

Kyle J. Crosby, 29, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and hindering apprehension on Tuesday. He faces 28 years in state prison on the aggravated manslaughter charge and three years on the hindering apprehension charge. The terms would run consecutively.

He must serve 85 percent of the sentence for the homicide charge before becoming eligible for parole.

His mother, 68-year-old Jo Crosby of the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township, has been indicted on one count of fourth degree hindering apprehension and one count of fourth degree tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Those charges will be dismissed at sentencing as part of the deal. She remains free on $12,500 bail.

Crosby admitted that he choked 26-year-old Erica Crippen inside their Mount Laurel home and later transported her body to Maryland.

They both previously pleaded not guilty in connection with the murder of his ex-girlfriend.

Crosby and Crippen lived together in Mount Laurel with two children, a 7-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, and their 3-month-old daughter.

On Jan. 7, police visited their home to conduct a wellness check after the 7-year-old failed to attend school that week.

Crosby signed a missing person report that day indicating he had not seen his wife since Jan. 1.

After further investigation, Crosby was charged with endangering the welfare of a child due to the level of care he provided to the children in the absence of his wife, on Jan. 10.

That charge led police to stop and arrest Crosby while he was driving his missing wife’s car in Brooklawn on Jan. 12.

Crippen’s body was found in a Maryland field in March.

Crosby traveled to Maryland sometime between Dec. 31, 2014, and Jan. 12, 2015, to deposit the body there.

Jo Crosby was charged because investigators believe she provided significant assistance to her son as he allegedly attempted to conceal Crippen’s death.

The attached images of Kyle Crosby and Jo Crosby were provided by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office