Murder-Suicide Of PSE&G Employees Under Investigation In Somerset County

FRANKLIN, NJ — Authorities are investigating the homicide and suicide of two PSE&G employees following a shooting in Somerset County, announced Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, at around 7:02 a.m., multiple 911 calls reported a shooting victim within the parking lot of PSE&G, on Weston Canal Road in Somerset.

Franklin Township Police Officers found a dead adult man suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency Medical Personnel from an area Trauma Center pronounced the man dead, said McDonald.

Authorities identified the decedent as Russell D. Heller, 51, of Milford. Heller was actively employed with PSE&G at the Somerset facility, said McDonald.

An investigation by detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department along with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office found that a former employee of PSE&G, whom authorities identified as Gary T. Curtis, 58, of Washington, approached Heller in the parking lot, shooting him outside of his vehicle.

At around 10:20 a.m., detectives were able to track Curtis to a parking lot area in Bridgewater Township.

With the help of Bridgewater Township Police Officers, authorities went up to Curtis' vehicle and saw him suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the report.

Curtis had a firearm in his possession, said McDonald.

Medical personnel pronounced Curtis dead at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing to determine a motive. A preliminary investigation found that the shooting was an isolated incident and Heller was the intended target.

Anyone with information relating to the homicide is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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