A New Jersey State Police sergeant fatally shot his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in a chilling act of domestic violence before killing himself with the same weapon.
Sergeant First Class Ricardo Santos, once assigned to protect the state’s governors, stalked 33-year-old veterinarian Dr. Lauren Semanchik and her boyfriend, 29-year-old firefighter Tyler Webb, at her home in Franklin Township on Friday evening.
Semanchik’s body was found on Saturday. She had been shot in the back as she tried to flee. Webb lay nearby, also fatally wounded.
Santos’ body was discovered hours later inside a white Mercedes SUV nearly 50 miles away in Piscataway, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A semiautomatic handgun was recovered from his vehicle.
‘She was running away. She was shot in the back,’ said Deanna Semanchik, Lauren’s devastated sister. ‘She gave so much of her life to other people and she deserved so much better.’
The killing has gripped New Jersey not only for its brutality but for the damning revelations now emerging that Semanchik had tried for months to escape Santos’ obsessive control – and that multiple institutions, including law enforcement, failed to act.
Dr. Semanchik, 33, and Santos had only dated for three months in 2024 before she ended the relationship in September.
Veterinarian Dr. Lauren Semanchik, 33, was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend Ricardo Santos
Semanchik’s current boyfriend, 29-year-old firefighter Tyler Webb, was also shot dead
The double murders occurred at Dr. Semanchik’s home in Franklin Township
But what followed, according to her family and police records, was a year-long campaign of stalking, sabotage, and harassment.
‘He showed up at her work. That’s where the car was keyed. He put recording devices in her home, water in her gas tank. He harassed her left and right,’ her sister told CBS News.
Lauren Semanchik had tried to block his calls but her ex used restricted numbers. She then tried to get restraining orders according to her mother, Jeannine Semanchik.
‘A lot of agencies failed her. She tried to get restraining orders. Nobody called her back.’
One of Santos’ own colleagues was reportedly contacted by Semanchik for help. Yet the abuse continued.
Santos’ calculated final move was captured in haunting detail on security footage from a camera Semanchik had installed in her car – yet another precaution in the face of relentless stalking.
On Friday, August 1, the footage shows her car leaving Long Valley Animal Hospital, where she worked, around 5:25pm.
A white 2008 Mercedes SUV, later confirmed to be Santos’, pulls out right behind her, tailing her for 30 miles to her home.
Dr. Lauren Semanchik’s legacy is one of compassion and advocacy. Those who dealt with her said she showed love for the animals and owners she encountered
The killing unfolded in the quiet Pittstown section of Franklin Township, New Jersey
At 6:11pm, a figure can be seen creeping through the woods along her driveway.
At 6:45pm, Tyler Webb arriver at the home. Minutes later, neighbors heard screaming and gunshots, but when Franklin Township police responded to those 911 calls, they couldn’t locate the source and left.
The next day, Lauren’s father made the gruesome discovery.
His daughter and her boyfriend lay dead inside the home. Both had been shot.
Santos was found later that day, alone in his SUV in Johnson Park, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A semiautomatic handgun was recovered in the vehicle.
Lauren Semanchik was a beloved veterinarian at Long Valley Animal Hospital.
In a GoFundMe page her colleagues described her as a kind-hearted, fiercely intelligent professional who poured herself into her work and treated animals and their grieving owners with grace and compassion.
‘Not only was Lauren a phenomenal veterinarian, she was one of the kindest souls you could ever encounter and a friend to us all,’ the hospital wrote in a public tribute.
‘She was gentle, never judgmental, and gave hugs and hand-holding to families that needed support the most during their most difficult moments.’
Her team described her death plainly and forcefully. ‘This is not a case of Not One More Vet (NOMV) or suicide; this was a double homicide.’
Dr. Lauren Semanchik was a beloved veterinarian at Long Valley Animal Hospital in Long Valley, New Jersey
Webb’s fellow firefighters called his death a heartbreaking loss for their community
Dr. Semanchik’s legacy is one of compassion and advocacy. She earned both her undergraduate and veterinary degrees from the University of Wisconsin and volunteered with Lap of Love, a group offering end-of-life care for pets.
Her colleagues and friends described her as irreplaceable.
‘Her attacker did not want to let her shine, but Lauren Semanchik is a light that will never dim,’ wrote her clinic’s practice manager.
The GoFundMe launched by Long Valley Animal Hospital is raising funds for funeral expenses and to honor her memory through charitable donations.
In their grief, her family has become adamant that Lauren’s story not be reduced to another tragedy swept under the rug.
‘She was deeply and unequivocally loved… She loved life, and she loved helping others. Her spirit, her love, and her light will forever shine bright in our hearts,’ wrote her colleagues.
Tyler Webb, 29, was a member of the Pinewald Pioneer Volunteer Fire Company. His fellow firefighters called his death a heartbreaking loss for their community.
‘Tyler served our department with dedication and honor… His contributions to our company and community will never be forgotten,’ the fire company said in a statement.
Lauren Semanchik earned both her undergraduate and veterinary degrees from the University of Wisconsin
Webb’s body was found a short distance away from his girlfriend’s
The Semanchik family has expressed their rage and heartbreak, knowing that Santos evaded justice by taking his own life.
‘He needs to have accountability. He took the cowardly way out,’ said her sister.
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson confirmed the case was being investigated as an act of domestic violence and a targeted double homicide.
‘This senseless and devastating loss has deeply affected our entire community,’ she said. ‘While justice in the legal sense may not proceed, our commitment to supporting survivors and preventing future tragedies remains unwavering.’
Governor Murphy’s office, where Santos once served in an elite security role, also issued a statement.
‘We are shocked and devastated by this horrific tragedy.’