Ocean City Man Sentenced 19 Years For Killing Girlfriend

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. — An Ocean City man was sentenced to 19 years in prison for the killing of Denise Webber, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office announced. Paul Kline pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to aggravated manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend on July 22, 2017.

Kline was sentenced to 19 years in New Jersey State Prison and five years of specialized parole.

"Our Office and all of the Counties Law Enforcement Agencies will continue to keep our community safe and make sure that all victims of crimes receive the appropriate justice," Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said in a statement.

At a court appearance in December, Kline rejected an offer from the state for a 20-year sentence in exchange for a guilty plea for aggravated manslaughter, according to The Press of Atlantic City. However, Kline pleaded guilty Feb. 1.

“In the wee hours of the morning, Mr. Kline got upset with Miss Webber, essentially choked her, strangled her, ultimately causing her to die,” Assistant Prosecutor Saverio Carroccia said at the December appearance.

Sutherland commended the Ocean City Police Department and all law enforcement agencies who investigated the crime with Carroccia.

Kline was reported to have called the Ocean City Police Department to report Webber's condition, in addition to the 911 calls the police received about a deceased female in the Wesley Inn on the 900 block of Wesley Avenue.

He then returned to the scene, and is reported to have "made utterances to several witnesses indicating his involvement in Webber's death," according to a probable cause statement from the CMCPO.

Kline was arrested after Webber was found deceased inside her apartment. Kline and Webber were involved in a dating relationship, and they lived together, according to police.

An autopsy conducted the following day determined that the cause of Webber's death was strangulation and the manner of death was homicide.

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