Gloucester County Man Convicted in Wife's Murder

A Glassboro man has been convicted of fatally shooting his former wife in the living room of her home on July 2, 2012.

Prosecution witnesses testified that 62-year-old Charles F. Sawyer, who had been divorced from 53-year-old Rita Sawyer since 2004, held a gun against her head and fired.

Rita Sawyer had made a complaint to police just five days before the shooting that Charles Sawyer had been stalking her and harassing her. She didn’t seek a restraining order at the time, but Glassboro police were alerted to keep an eye out for him near her home.

The couple has two children, who were not present at the time of the shooting.

Sawyer was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, burglary, theft, aggravated assault and threat to kill following an eight-day jury trial.

The jury returned its verdict after less than three hours of deliberation.

Sawyer has been in jail in default of $750,000 bail since his arrest in Salem County several hours after the shooting.

Bail has been revoked and sentencing is scheduled for April 22.