Timothy Moorman killed his estranged wife in Collingswood Monday, officials said.

COLLINGSWOOD -- Authorities have charged a Camden man with murdering his estranged wife in her Collings Avenue apartment, where he then allegedly stabbed himself.

Timothy Moorman and Joseline Perez.Facebook 

Timothy Moorman, 41, of Washington Street, Camden, is facing a first-degree murder charge while he lies in Cooper University Hospital in critical condition, according to a statement from the Camden County prosecutor's office.

He is accused of killing Joseline Perez, of Building C in the Heights of Collingswood Apartments, just before 8 p.m. Monday.

The prosecutor's office said only that family members were present during the stabbing, but 6abc reported police said there were three children in the apartment.

A woman who lived next door to the apartment said she believed a couple and their children had moved in about a month ago. 

Robert English, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said Moorman was estranged he had no information about anyone else living at the apartment. 

The neighbor, who declined to identify herself, said that she overheard a sudden, loud argument Monday night.

"He was telling her to shut up," the neighbor said Tuesday morning. "I heard a scream out loud and then him saying, 'look what you done!'"

Neighbor of stabbing victim says woman 'screamed for mercy'

She said that it went quiet and when she approached the apartment door, she saw a boy, roughly 11, inside. He told his father the neighbor had called police, though she hadn't, she said.

She thought it was a loud fight and only found out Tuesday morning that Perez had been killed, she said. 

A smear of what appeared to be blood was visible along the bottom of the door to apartment 216, where the neighbor said the victim lived. It is not clear where her children are living now.

The prosecutor's office said that emergency responders who responded to a 911 call at 7:49 p.m. were directed by Perez's family members to the bedroom, where Perez was suffering from multiple stab wounds. Moorman was also in the bedroom with self-inflicted wounds.

Perez was pronounced deceased at 9:52 p.m. and Moorman was rushed to the hospital, where he remains. The prosecutor's office said bail has not been set.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey Blue Acres program is buying up flood-prone property around the Garden State, helping create an open space buffer to absorb water.

Like many residents along the Delaware Bayshore, Natalie and Don Fisch of Downe Township worried about the future of their community after Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey's coastline.

They saw that street flooding was increasing during high tides, full moons and rainstorms, making it hard for residents to get in and out of their homes. They were concerned that the neighborhood's water and sewer infrastructure would be compromised. Uncertainty about the future of their community weighed heavily on their minds.

Fortunately, the New Jersey Blue Acres program was there to offer a solution to the Fisch family and other residents of flood-prone areas around the state.

The Fisch family recently became the 500th homeowner to sell their property to the Blue Acres program. Their house will be demolished to create an open space buffer to absorb water, and proceeds from the sale allowed them to buy a new home in Tuckerton. About a dozen additional Downe Township families are accepting Blue Acres buyouts, and more are considering it.

Blue Acres, a program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has been moving families out of harm's way since 1995.

Blue Acres closes first buyout in Delaware Bayshore

After Superstorm Sandy hit in October 2012, Blue Acres shifted into high gear. With an infusion of federal funding, the post-Sandy buyout program was launched in May 2013 and is still underway.

The 500-plus properties purchased by Blue Acres after Sandy come in addition to the 126 properties acquired between 1995 and 2012. The program is now at a grand total of 632 acquisitions and counting.

The pace of Blue Acres buyouts won't slow down anytime soon.

After Sandy, the administration set an ambitious goal of purchasing up to 1,000 homes in tidal areas affected by the storm, and another 300 in other communities that have flooded repeatedly.

With the four-year anniversary of Sandy approaching, the Blue Acres program is well on its way toward its goals. So far the program has:

• Secured funding for 846 properties;
• Made offers on 811 homes;Completed 506 closings; and
• Demolished 371 houses.

"The Christie Administration's effort to protect lives and property from dangerous flooding has not wavered since Superstorm Sandy struck New Jersey," said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin.

The Blue Acres program looks for clusters of homes - or even entire neighborhoods - that have experienced flood damage from Superstorm Sandy or previous storms. Owners must be willing, there must be an opportunity to improve the environment or public health and safety, and there must be local government support for the buyouts.

7 things to check out at Delaware Bayshore

In addition to Downe Township, buyouts have occurred, or are in the process, in East Brunswick (Middlesex), Lawrence Township (Cumberland), Linden (Union), Manville (Somerset), Newark (Essex), New Milford (Bergen), Ocean Township (Monmouth), Old Bridge (Middlesex), Pompton Lakes (Passaic), Rahway (Union), Sayreville (Middlesex), South River (Middlesex) and Woodbridge (Middlesex).

Kudos to the Blue Acres program on its post-Sandy milestone!

Retreating from flood-prone areas is a wise move as our climate becomes more unpredictable, sea levels rise and strong storms become more frequent.

The Blue Acres program is sure to provide a lasting benefit to this state we're in, and it has just received a new source of funding through New Jersey's corporate business tax dedication.

There's more information on the Blue Acres Program online, as well as information on Sandy recovery.

And to learn more about preserving New Jersey's land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

After several incidents in which he claims he was disciplined unjustly, the officer was finally removed from his position.

CAMDEN -- A former police officer is suing several Pennsauken Township officers, claiming he was disciplined and ultimately fired in retaliation for his advocacy for a policy change. 

Douglas Foster  -- a Washington Township resident who was an officer with the Pennsauken Township Police Department from 2003 to 2015 -- filed a lawsuit on Aug. 22 in New Jersey District Court. In it, he names township of Pennsauken, Chief John Coffey, Lt. Michael Probasco, Lt. Scott Gehring and Cpt. Thomas Connor claiming he was retaliated against after voicing his opinion about the department switching from 8-hour to 12-hour shifts.

Coffey, Probasco, Gehring and Connor were reportedly against the switch, which was made in 2011, and spoke out about it on several occasions, according to Foster, who was outspokenly in favor of the change, saying it would correct overnight staffing issues and cut back overtime expenses saving the township money

Foster criticized the department and his supervisors for not supporting the 12-hour shift, he stated in his lawsuit, noting that he was exercising his First Amendment by complaining "as a private citizen, not an employee." 

Foster claims the chief and other superior officers took "meritless disciplinary action" against him. Foster said he was skipped over for a roadwork assignment and then when he was later given the job, he was disciplined for leaving when the work was done even though his shift wasn't  -- a typical practice within the department, he said.

Shelter reportedly accused of animal cruelty for illegal killing of 312 cat

Court documents claim Probasco compared Foster to the other "babies in the department," referring to the officers in favor of the 12-hour shift who "caused their own problems." The lawsuit claims that Probasco monitored the GPS in Foster's car to find ways to unjustly discipline him.

According to the lawsuit, Foster was unjustly put on desk-duty  -- "a common form of punishment in the police department."

He claims he was sent to training in Pennsylvania and had to use holiday days to cover the training whereas two other officers -- who were not advocates of the 12-hour shifts -- were able to use training days or reassigned days off for the same training, he claimed. 

He was then suspended for 30 days in an incident where only officers in favor of the 12-hour shift change were punished and charged with "repeated violations" after meeting with the township administrator to discuss superiors' behavior, he claims. This led to him being fired in May 2015.

Foster is requesting a jury trial as well as reinstatement of his job, compensation for fees, damages and lost wages.

Pennsauken Township did not immediately respond for comment. 

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Students helped to serve meals and clean up at the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden

Students involved in the School Based Youth Services program at GCIT recently participated in one of many community service projects, volunteering their time and donating to the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden. The students volunteered their time helping serve meals and clean up during the Cathedral's dinner services. GCIT students also made hundreds of sandwiches to donate to Cathedral Kitchen, which uses the sandwiches for an outreach project that delivers the sandwiches to people who are unable to get to the kitchen. 

Students and staff of GCIT visit the Cathedral Kitchen approximately eight times a year to give support to their clients. Supervisor of School Based Youth Services Kim Glazer states, "They are very busy and it is a much needed operation in the City of Camden. It is an eye opening experience for our students and I am proud to be able to participate."   

David Ahlzadeh, a senior Academy of Engineering student, stated, "The Cathedral Kitchen field trip was such an amazing experience. Helping people who are in need of assistance had such a positive effect on me. I felt as if I made a difference in someone's life even if I helped them out in the smallest way at the Cathedral Kitchen. This field trip made me realize that not everybody is as fortunate as some people are, and to not take things for granted. Helping out at the Cathedral Kitchen was overall a great experience and I would recommend it to anybody who hasn't done it before."

SBYS offers Gloucester County high school teenagers individual and family counseling, recreational activities, career/employment exploration, leadership opportunities and other supportive services. SBYS is generously funded through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships. 

To learn more about the Cathedral Kitchen, visit cathedralkitchen.org.  

This item submitted by Dyanna Dessicino, Gloucester County Institute of Technology.

Since May, the suspects allegedly executed 17 smash-and-grab burglaries in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties at mostly liquor stores.

GLOUCESTER TWP. -- Three men have been arrested for a 17-burglary spree in three different counties, police say. 

Since May, numerous smash-and-grab burglaries have happened to businesses -- predominately liquor stores -- in Camden, Gloucester and Burlington counties, and were executed by the same suspects, police said.

This spree prompted more than eight law enforcement agencies in three counties, along with the New Jersey State Police, to assemble a task force to catch the suspects. 

Evidence was found at a liquor store robbery in Gloucester Township that led police to identify possible suspects. According to police, officers coordinated a surveillance operation leading them to Hainesport where the suspects were caught committing a burglary at a carwash.

Two of the suspects, Habib R. Brown, 18, and Daquan Stratton, 20, both Glassboro residents, were taken into custody after attempting to leave the scene on foot, police reported. A third suspect, who police did not name, fled the scene in a getaway car but was followed by the team and later caught in Cherry Hill. 

All three suspects are being charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree theft, third-degree conspiracy, fourth-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree resisting, according to the police report.

The men are being held in the Burlington County Jail. 

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Thirteen of the 17 plaintiffs are from New Jersey. Watch video

CAMDEN -- Moments before scores of concert-goers spilled over a failed railing at the BB&T Pavilion and plunged nearly 10 feet below, performers Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa could be heard on video recordings encouraging guests to flock toward the stage.

Citing the snapped fence and alleged negligence on behalf of the artists and LiveNation, two Philadelphia law firms have teamed up to represent 17 of the 42 people injured during the Aug. 5 accident.

"A safe concert is a concert that is properly planned," said Bob Mongeluzzi, of the Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett and Bendesky law firm.

In lawsuits filed this week, pre-planning and proper oversight is what his firm and attorneys at Wapner Newman claim didn't occur. The filings were announced at a press conference Wednesday morning and, according to a copy of the lawsuit, 13 of the 17 plaintiffs are from New Jersey.

LiveNation did not immediately respond to a request for comment left Wednesday morning. The lawsuit seeks separate sums of compensation and damages for each of the plaintiffs.

Per the suit, the "poorly maintained" fence had been repaired within the last year, albeit in a "cheap and reckless fashion." During the concert, one of the artists can be heard directing those in the grass area of the venue to move closer to the stage and thus, the gate in front of it.

The collapse landed 34 people in the hospital, with lawyers saying Wednesday that the results could have been "catastrophic" given the head-first direction many fell in.

Concert-goers released from hospital

Among those suing LiveNation, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa -- who legal names are Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr. and Cameron Thomaz, respectively -- is Bellmawr man Michael Carpenter, who was working security at the time of the collapse and standing directly under the portion that gave way.

According to the lawsuit, Carpenter suffered a fractured spine as well as "severe" foot, rib, spinal and mouth injuries. Also suing are Mullica Hill resident and stage worker Zachary Ogle, who needed 13 staples to close a head wound, and 18-year-old Vineland residents Jasine Andreoliand Marquise Colon, who both suffered concussions and neck injuries.

Other injuries among the plaintiffs include six concussions, one fractured vertebrae, a fractured collarbone, another head wound and other lacerations, contusions and recurring pain.

"These injuries will be with these mostly young people for a long time," attorney Jeffrey Goodman said.

Jamil Baskerville Jr., 2, died after his mother's boyfriend punched him, officials said. Watch video

PENNSAUKEN TWP. -- At some point after Jamil Baskerville Jr., 2, died Saturday night, his mother told police that she saw her boyfriend punch the boy, sending him flying into the wall. But she did not reveal that when she first called 911 to report that her son was unresponsive.

Jamil Baskerville Jr. Tim Hawk/NJ.com 

On the recording of the 911 call, the woman can be heard crying and asking for help because her son vomited and then became unresponsive. She mentioned that bruises were appearing on her son's chest, but did not say he had been punched.

The man who allegedly abused both her and the child that night was in the room, trying to give Baskerville CPR, according to the call.

Zacchery Tricoche, 24, who is charged with murdering the boy, even took the phone briefly before the call ended.

Asked whether police were considering any charges against Baskerville's mother, a spokesman for the Camden County prosecutor's office said he could not comment on that.

"I can only say is that she was interviewed," spokesman Robert English said.

Man told tot to 'put up his hands' to fight, officials say

Tricoche is being held on $1 million bail on a charge of first-degree murder. At his arraignment Tuesday, Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah said that the child died from internal bleeding because his liver was lacerated by one of the blows.

Shah said Tricoche shoved his girlfriend in their apartment on Mansion Boulevard during an argument about groceries, and then went after the child. 

Tricoche said in court that he has a public defender but Camden County Superior Court officials were unable to confirm that or provide a name for an attorney.

 

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

James L. Stewart Jr. was ordered held on $50,000 bail.

PINE HILL -- A Camden man was busted earlier this week by borough police and Camden County authorities following an investigation into alleged heroin distribution in Pine Hill.

It was approximately 6:30 p.m. on Monday when police pulled over a vehicle along the 900 block of Erial Road. The ensuing investigation, which was aided by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Suburban Narcotics Task Force, resulted in the arrest of 28-year-old James L. Stewart Jr.

According to police, more than 50 wax paper folds containing suspected heroin were seized at the scene.

Getting clean in Camden?

Stewart was taken into custody without incident and charged with possession of heroin, distribution of heroin and distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a public park. He was then sent to the Camden County Correctional facility in default of $50,000 full-cash bail.

Information regarding criminal activity in the borough may be emailed to confidential@pinehillpd.com.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The shooting happened around 9 p.m.

CAMDEN -- An 8-year-old girl was in critical condition after being shot in the head Wednesday night, philly.com reported.

The shooting occurred on S. 8th Street near Spruce Street shortly before 9 p.m. The child, who was outside when the shooting occurred, was rushed to Cooper University Hospital.

The girl was believed to have been hit by a stray bullet fired by someone among a group of assailants who fled the scene, police said.

Police: Child shot in Camden, N.J.; condition unknown - @6abcmike pic.twitter.com/ju2ks2aslz

-- G.Alexander(BRKNEWS) (@MajorNews911) August 25, 2016

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Plenty has changed in the classroom over the last several decades.

When I was a student, a tablet was a pad of writing paper. For today's school-age individuals, however, the word "tablet" means something entirely different.

Ah, plenty has changed in the classroom over the last several decades. Okay, it's not as though a classroom would be an unrecognizable place for those of us who attended school in the '60s and '70s, but there is no denying that much has been lost to history.

I offer just a handful of examples for your consumption:

*  Internet videos have replaced film strips and movie presentations of yesteryear.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

*  The end-of-day task of clapping the erasers has all but vanished; chalkboards have been displaced by write-erase whiteboards.

There will be a test on this on Throwback Thursday.Courtesy of Distejon 

*  An item that has completely disappeared from the 21st-century classroom is the five-line chalk holder. Barely changing in design from the 1800s to the 1980s, it held five pieces of chalk and allowed a teacher to draw parallel lines on the blackboard for teaching cursive writing.

*  The first handheld digital calculators appeared in Japan in 1970, and shortly thereafter became available at reasonably affordable prices in the United States, replacing slide rules and pencil-and-paper calculations for students.

Here's a gallery of classic photos on the subject - there won't be a pop quiz, though. Make sure captions are enabled to read all about these vintage photos.

Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

Winslow Township police were treated to lunch by a 5-year-old boy.

WINSLOW TWP. -- A five-year-old boy used his saved-up allowance to buy Winslow Township police officers lunch.

William Evertz Jr. delivered Subway sandwiches to officers of the township police department Wednesday.

In return, he received a special police department shirt.

The little boy is a huge supporter of police officers and wanted them to eat a healthy lunch, according to 6abc.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police said there may be surveillance video of the shooting.

CAMDEN -- Police are still searching for the suspects who are responsible for a shooting on a city street Wednesday night in which an 8-year-old girl was critically injured in the crossfire, reports say.

Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson told the Associated Press that the little girl was outside across the street from her house on South 8th and Spruce streets when she was shot in the head around 8:30 p.m.

Thomson told the Courier Post that multiple shots were fired at an "intended target" and one of the stray bullets hit the child.

The shooters took off in a car but police believe there is surveillance video of them, which is being reviewed, according to reports. 

The police chief called the shooters "cowards," in a report from 6abc.

"The individuals that are responsible for this are going to feel the full weight of law enforcement. They're nothing short of cowards, and I'm quite certain the community has the same sentiments as we do at this point in time," Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson said.

Police have not identified the girl, who was last reported in critical condition at Cooper University Hospital.

The Courier Post reports doctors are still treating the girl who was hit by one bullet. 

The crime scene was sealed off and multiple intersections were blocked by police tape and vehicles.

Camco PD Chief Scott Thomson talks about girl's shooting pic.twitter.com/rFqQJX3XNN

-- jim walsh (@jimwalsh_cp) August 25, 2016

The 8-year-old is one of at least three juvenile shooting victims this year. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at (856) 757-7042.

Neighbors in the area have voiced their concerns and are sending out prayers and encouragement to the girl and her family.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Black Horse Pike Regional School District superintendent Brian Repici wrote an open letter to the community on Wednesday that appeared on the district's web site.

We introduce the players that put up huge numbers in 2015 that are back once again to lead the state in production and help their teams win.

Family said the girl remained hospitalized as of Thursday morning.

CAMDEN -- The young girl shot in the head Wednesday night after being caught in the crossfire of a city shooting could often been seen riding her bicycle around what neighbors said is a usually quiet area.

Camden County law enforcement canvass the area of an Aug. 24, 2016 shooting that left a girl hospitalized. (Greg Adomaitis | For NJ.com) 

The girl -- whose identity has not been released but is named Gabby, according to social media postings from family -- is 8 years old, a neighbor said Thursday morning.

"I'm sorry for the child," a Camden resident of 45 years said. "This is the most activity that I've seen here."

Camden County Police Department officers canvassed the area Thursday morning, speaking with residents near the scene of the shooting. Neighbors said the girl's family lived across the street from the front steps of the home where she was shot.

"I thought it was firecrackers," the neighbor who said she often saw the girl riding her bicycle around the area said. "I don't know anything about gunfire."

Girl, 17, indicted in teen's death

Neighbors out at the time of the 8:30 p.m. shooting said they saw the girl bleeding. Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said there was an "intended target" and that the girl was struck by a stray bullet.

"The individuals that are responsible for this are going to feel the full weight of law enforcement. They're nothing short of cowards, and I'm quite certain the community has the same sentiments as we do at this point in time," Thomson said Wednesday night.

According to police, surveillance video of the incident is being reviewed. There have been nearly 30 homicides in Camden City this year, with a 13-year-old and 15-year-old being among the victims.

A request for comment left at the girl's home and her family was not immediately returned. Reached for comment Thursday, a Camden City School District spokesman was checking to see if the girl, who was taken to Cooper University Hospital in critical condition, attended classes in the city.

Family members told NJ Advance Media that the girl was still hospitalized as of Thursday morning.

One man who lives next to the girl's family said he was asleep at the time and woke up to what he said was at least 15 gunshots. The man, who declined to provide his name, said his wife and roommates had occasionally chatted with the girl's family.

"A lot of problems out here, we solve with our hands," one local resident who was at work when the shooting occurred said of the area. "It's when the people from out of town come around here. That's when it happens."

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Camden County police chief vowed a "laser light" focus on the gunmen.

CAMDEN -- The Camden County Police Department's chief vowed on Thursday to shine a "laser light" focus on the still at-large perpetrators of a shooting that left an 8-year-old girl in extremely critical condition.

Neighbors said the girl wounded in an Aug. 24, 2016 shooting in Camden was out front of this Spruce Street home, left, at the time. (Greg Adomaitis | For NJ.com)Greg Adomaitis | For NJ.com 

Camden County authorities also announced a $5,000 reward for information that leads them to those responsible for unleashing a volley of rounds at an "intended target" late Wednesday near South 8th and Spruce streets, striking the girl in the head.

"She was not the intended target, clearly," Chief Scott Thomson said Thursday, adding that his department has some leads in the shooting that they believe to be gang related.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that the girl had been playing outside on the sidewalk at the time of the shooting. The suspects, who may have been captured on yet-to-be-released surveillance video, fled the scene on South 9th Street.

Thomson said the investigation continues and that it would be premature to release the recording at this time.

Neighbors said Thursday morning that the girl, whose identity has not yet been made public, could often be seen riding her bicycle in the neighborhood. A relative told NJ Advance Media that the girl had made it through the night, but was still hospitalized at Cooper University Hospital.

Girl, 8, critical after being hit in Camden crossfire

Thomson said he'd spoken with the girl's family, reassuring her mother that all resources at his disposal would be deployed to bring the shooters to justice.

"I've got a son who is a year older than her. I can't imagine what the family is going through," he said.

Readers with information about the identity of the suspect or the incident are asked to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Sherman Hopkins at 856-225-8623 or Camden County Police Department Detective Michael Ross at 856-757-7420. Information may also be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

Nitin P. Singh is accused of stabbing his wife, Seema Singh, to death in their Pennsville apartment on July 19.

SALEM -- Nitin P. Singh, the man charged with murdering his wife his wife by stabbing her more than 30 times, had his first appearance Thursday and asked for an attorney and his iPhone.

Singh, 46, allegedly killed his wife, Seema, 42, in the kitchen of their North Broadway apartment in Pennsville early on July 19.

He used a "sharp instrument," according to the complaint filed against him, to stab his wife "repeatedly in the chest and abdomen." He then called 911 for help, saying his wife was not breathing.

"I would like to get a lawyer and I would like to get the phone numbers from my iPhone so I can contact my people," Singh told Judge Guy Killen, who was presiding over Singh's hearing in Central Judicial Processing Court in Salem Thursday.

Singh appeared via video from the Salem County Correctional Facility in Mannington Township where he is being held on $1 million full cash bail.

Central Judicial Processing Court, or CJP Court, is now the place of first appearances for defendants charged with an indictable offense, such as murder. The suspect's appearance there is to ensure they understand the charges against them and that they have proper legal representation.

Killen reviewed the five counts against Singh.

He then noted Singh had been denied a public defender but he was going to "respectfully override" that decision.

"I want to make sure you have representation going forward because of the seriousness of the charges," Killen told Singh.

LISTEN: Accused murderer says wife not breathing

Killen said if circumstances change, Singh may hire his own attorney, but for now he needed a public defender.

Singh told the judge that "I asked for a lawyer but never got a lawyer or anybody." He also repeated his requested to get access to his cell phone.

Assistant Salem County Prosecutor Michael J. Forte said authorities are moving forward to present the case to a Salem County grand jury.

Killen set Singh's next court appearance, a pre-indictment hearing, for Oct. 4. At that time, Singh was told, his bail could be reviewed.

The Singhs lived in an apartment at the rear of a building they own at 144 North Broadways in Pennsville.  Their three children -- two boys, ages 16 and 6, and a girl, age 5 -- were taken from the apartment through a side door so they did not see the crime scene in the kitchen, authorities said.

Authorities have not said what they believe sparked Singh's alleged actions.

The couple owned and operated the Quick Stop Deli in Collingswood. After Seema Singh's death, there was an outpouring of support from members of the local community who shopped there.

The deli has since been reopened by Nitin Singh's father.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The identity of the 8-year-old victim has yet to be released.

CAMDEN -- The 8-year-old girl critically wounded late Wednesday in a Camden shooting was set to begin 3rd grade next week, a spokesman for Camden Community Charter School said.

Instead, she spent the final days of summer vacation in "extremely critical condition" following the shooting, Camden County Police Department's chief confirmed Thursday.

Calling the unsolved shooting an "unfortunate tragedy," school spokesman Max Tribble said the school was -- and is -- "always extremely troubled to see incidents like this."

Wednesday's shooting occurred near South 8th and Spruce streets. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said the girl was playing on the sidewalk at the time of the shooting, which authorities believe to be gang-related and had an intended target.

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that they often saw the girl riding her bicycle around the area. A family member confirmed Thursday that the girl remained hospitalized at Cooper University Hospital.

$5k reward offered in girl's shooting

Tribble said the school is doing what it can to comfort the family, adding that the principal and academic staff are working to determine if counselors will be available when students return to class next week.

"She was just a very friendly 8-year-old. She got along with people very well," Tribble said. "People in school certainly liked her."

Citing privacy concerns, Tribble said he legally couldn't identify the girl.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the identification and arrest of those involved in the shooting.

Readers with information about the identity of the suspect or the incident are asked to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Sherman Hopkins at 856-225-8623 or Camden County Police Department Detective Michael Ross at 856-757-7420. Information may also be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

The targeted properties were at times a safe haven for criminal activity. Watch video

CAMDEN -- In Camden, it took a village to raze the equivalent of a village.

Of the 591 houses in various states of disrepair that were eyed by entities from the state level down to the city's public works department, representatives from every level of the year-plus long project gathered Thursday to announce a mere 60 were left on the list.

"This project is proof positive that the neighborhoods are improving," said Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. "Removing these dilapidated homes will enhance the quality of life for children and families that live on these blocks and open up property that was deteriorated and abandoned to a new future."

Tell that to 17-year-old Erika Lector, whose East Camden neighbors include a vacant duplex next door that was in the midst of being ripped apart as well as one across the street that burned to the ground two months ago.

Lector, who has lived at her North 34th Street home for a decade, said from her driveway Thursday that a homeless person was staying in the building across the street. The charred frame seen Thursday barely resembled a home. An excavator hard at work at the property next door was helping reduce that building to a similar fate.

Despite the seedy-looking characters coming down her otherwise quiet street, Lector said she wasn't worried about her safety through any of it.

The project was not without bumps in the road, Mayor Dana Redd said when asked about the effort that kicked off in Jan. 2015, confirming that the same funding sources in place at that time were directed toward the "massive undertaking" as some companies backed out.

"With these dilapidated units gone and neighborhoods stabilized, we can focus on attracting new and exciting development," Redd said, adding that the city hopes to "green" and "beautify" these nearly 600 vacant lots before affordable housing rises in their place.

$5K reward for info on shooting of girl, 8

At the time of the project's announcement, a "stash house" where a gun safe containing multiple firearms had been found came down in a sea of bricks. Camden County police Chief Scott Thomson said the sea of homes targeted over the past 20 months were a haven for gang activity, drug use, prostitution and more.

That initial demo project kicked off what Camden County officials touted as the largest residential demolition project of its kind in New Jersey's history. What's more, 75 percent of the workforce was hired locally and a $3 million grant was recently awarded to shift gears toward a commercial demolition project.

"No one, including myself, thought it was going to happen this smoothly," said Franchesca Abed, of Ralf's Plumbing, which has called Camden home for 22 years.

Camden authorities send warning about 'Batman' heroin due to overdose increase.

CAMDEN -- A peak in heroin overdoses has been linked to "Batman" heroin from Camden, the Courier Post reports.

Police believe the overdoses stem from free samples of the "Batman" stamped heroin coming from Camden, according to reports.

More than 20 heroin overdose victims were treated by Cooper University Health Care between Tuesday and Thursday while authorities tended to six overdoses between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Post. 

NJ cop saves overdose victim

"Batman" heroin is to blame, authorities believe, which has been sold throughout the past several weeks in Camden and it has been advised by emergency officials that additional Narcan administration could be needed, the report says.

The "Batman" heroin has been located by authorities in the following South Jersey towns -- Runnemede, Camden, Mount Ephraim, Gloucester City, Williamstown, Voorhees and Galloway.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook.