Slaying Of Family Was 6th Domestic Violence Killing In NJ, After 4 In Hudson County

NORTH JERSEY — Six women and two children in New Jersey have been killed so far in what authorities have indicated were six separate acts of domestic violence in the first seven weeks of 2023.

Advocates say that while it can be hard for people to leave domestic violence situations, calling for help doesn't mean immediate action has to be taken — but callers can get a risk assessment or make an emergency plan to leave when necessary.

The first four intimate partner deaths this year occurred in one county — Hudson County —including the shooting deaths of two Jersey City teachers in what officials said were two different domestic violence incidents.

Then, on Feb. 12, mother-of-two Stephanie Vil was shot to death in Trenton, and the man arrested for murder was the father of her infant, who was in the car nearby, the police complaint says.

After relatives told Stephanie Vil's 10-year-old son that his mother had been killed, he wordlessly walked over to his 3-month-old sister and picked her up to hold her, says a GoFundMe for the children.

Then, last Sunday, a family was killed in Linden in what authorities said was a murder-suicide committed by the father.

That brings the total to eight New Jersey residents killed by domestic violence in New Jersey in 2023 in six incidents, including the two children in Linden.

How The Year Compares

In 2020 in New Jersey, according to state police statistics, there were 29 people killed by domestic violence, or an average of 2.4 people killed per month. In 2019, there were 39.

One advocacy group in the state, the Center for Hope and Safety — based in Bergen County — told Patch that on this past Wednesday, they were sheltering 170 people, 89 of them children.

Executive Director Julye Myner said that the average until recent years was 33 people on any given day.

She stressed that people can call a domestic violence hotline even if they're not ready to leave, or if they have concerns about a friend or family member. (If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or emergency responders.)

Each county in New Jersey has a group designated to help people dealing with domestic abuse, and there's a national hotline (see below).

"We know of all the barriers to leaving," Myner said. "We want to communicate to the community, we're not just a safe house. We can help you stay safe if you choose not to leave yet. We're really trying to remove the myth that we're just a shelter."

She said people may be afraid to leave because of risks to children or pets if they try, or numerous other reasons.

"We can give them the tools to keep themselves safe and tools to begin exit planning in case of violence," she said.

'Already Been A Tough Year'

The relationship in a domestic violence situation is not always announced by law enforcement when there is a killing, so people may not have an idea of the true numbers.

But officials have identified four women killed in Hudson County this year as having been acts of domestic violence.

"It’s already been a tough year with two terrible homicides via domestic violence in Jersey City," said Steven Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, on Feb. 11. "We’re the only municipality in NJ that offers a free domestic violence program for offenders. It’s is called the Peaceful Families program. It is [a] 27 weeks long program ... About 90 percent of all defendants are required to participate."

But can programs address a culture of violence before, rather than after, a crime happens?

The CDC recommends an extensive package of programs to address potential domestic violence early on — including programs to teach people about respect in relationships from a young age, and a program in the military to reduce the stigma of counseling.

'This One Instance Broke Us'

Law enforcement agencies have not yet publicly announced the motive for the killing of mother-of-two Stephanie Vil on Feb. 12. But a police complaint identifies Jamar Leonard, who was charged with her murder, as the father of the child who was in the car with her at the time.

The documents quote a witness as saying that Vil and Leonard had had a fight three days before her death, and that she locked him out of the house. According to the witness, he "ended up kicking the door to the house down."

Vil's aunt wrote on a GoFundMe page about Vil's older child, "I watched Ta’lil learn of his mother’s death yesterday and as he was processing it he walked over and picked up his 3 month old sister. He said nothing, but he broke everyone in the room. As we all tried to reassure him we had them both his only thought was to reassure Ja’lani that he had her. Ta’lil is ten years old! This one instance broke us even more."

In America, two to three women per day are killed in domestic violence incidents, according to federal statistics.

A daily check of news reports on the incidents often turns up higher numbers, Patch found in 2021. READ MORE: How Common Are Cases Like Gabby Petito's?

Several high-profile domestic violence cases were reported across the country in recent weeks, including a mass shooting of a family in Utah last month. In that case, the perpetrator, Michael Haight, had a history of abuse, news outlets said.

One Suspect Still At Large

Last week, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office charged Cesar Santana — the estranged husband of slain Jersey City teacher Luz Hernandez — with murder. The pair had three children together, two of whom attended the school where she was a kindergarten teacher.

A police complaint says that Santana reported her missing on Monday, Feb. 6, but that two days earlier, he mysteriously went to her home and emerged an hour later with a plastic bin.

Hernandez was found in a shallow grave 0n Feb. 7.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is seeking a second man in connection with her death. READ MORE: Husband Of Slain Jersey City Teacher Charged With Murder

Where To Get Help

Each county in New Jersey has a domestic violence agency, and the state has its own hotline. There's also a national hotline that can be reached by phone, text, or internet.

The national domestic violence hotline, reachable through phone, text, or chat, is 800-799-SAFE (7233), or you can text "Start" to 88788 to reach them by text.

The New Jersey hotline is 1-800-572-SAFE (7233). The list of county agencies is here, and other information on how to protect oneself legally in New Jersey is here.

In an emergency, call 911 or emergency responders.

An advocacy group in Essex County is seeking volunteers for its court advocacy program, to assist and support victims. READ MORE: Essex County Volunteers Needed For Domestic Violence Court Program