New Jersey Marriage and Family Therapist Identified as Victim in Unsolved Chester Township Homicide
Authorities have identified the woman who was found dead inside a home in Chester Township, New Jersey, earlier this month as 35-year-old Brooke Alexandra Hanlon, a licensed marriage and family counselor. The investigation remains active, and officials have not announced any arrests in connection with the case.
According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, emergency responders were called to a residence on Pottersville Road at around 4:30 p.m. on June 6 after receiving a report of a woman suffering from cardiac arrest. When first responders arrived, Hanlon was found dead inside the home.
A medical examiner later determined that she had suffered multiple sharp force injuries. The death was officially ruled a homicide, confirming that investigators are treating the case as a criminal investigation.
The victim’s identity was not released immediately after the incident. Prosecutors said they initially withheld her name under a New Jersey law that allows law enforcement agencies to delay releasing certain information when doing so helps protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office later publicly identified Hanlon weeks after the killing as investigators continued working on the case.
Hanlon was well known in the mental health field. State licensing records show that she was a licensed professional counselor with a focus on marriage and family therapy. Throughout her career, she worked with individuals, couples, and families facing emotional and relationship challenges.
Professional records also show that Hanlon earned a master’s degree in psychology and counseling from Northeastern University in 2015. She later worked for LifeStance Health in Somerset County, where she specialized in cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma therapy. Earlier in her career, she also provided counseling services to children through two agencies in Massachusetts beginning in 2017.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Hanlon had recently entered a new chapter in her personal life. She and her husband, James Hanlon, welcomed a baby last year. A family photograph shared on social media during the 2025 holiday season showed the couple and their young child celebrating together, offering a glimpse into their growing family before the tragedy.
The homicide investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue gathering evidence and reviewing information related to the case. Officials have not released details about a possible suspect or a motive, and investigators have not announced any arrests.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has asked anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact law enforcement. Authorities continue to encourage members of the public to come forward if they have any details that may help investigators determine what happened.
As the investigation moves forward, officials say they remain committed to pursuing all available leads. For now, the death of Brooke Alexandra Hanlon remains an active homicide investigation, and authorities have not released additional information beyond the confirmed facts of the case.
Sources
- Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
- New Jersey State Professional Licensing Records
