Officer’s 26-Minute Search Missed Double Homicide Scene in Franklin Township, NJ
A Franklin Township, New Jersey, police officer missed a double murder after 26 minutes of gunfire and screaming on August 1, 2025. Doctor Lauren Semanchik, 33, and her boyfriend Tyler Webb, 29, were found dead in a planned murder-suicide related to domestic abuse the next day.
Nearby homeowners heard gunshots and screaming from Semanchik’s Upper Kingtown Road house at 7:08 p.m. Franklin Township officers searched for nearly 20 minutes. But not the police. No problem or noise was seen, so they left. Semanchik’s father returned home the next day to discover his daughter and Webb dead.
After their September 2024 breakup, 45-year-old New Jersey State Police Lieutenant Ricardo Jorge Santos followed Semanchik for months. Semanchik left a message with Franklin Township Police on May 20, 2025, but they didn’t answer. Semanchik texted that Santos was driving her crazy and she didn’t like that he was a police officer. The police never phoned her again.
After Semanchik’s reports were ignored, citizens sued. People who lost loved ones will sue Franklin Township and New Jersey State Police for failing to protect and serve. The family’ lawyers argue the disaster could have been prevented.
The Hunterdon County Prosecutor now runs Franklin Township Police. Due to what happened and worries about the case’s handling. The head and sergeant are on administrative leave, therefore a temporary officer runs the department. This shows how terrible the problem is and how crucial police accountability is.
This case indicates that police must act immediately and thoroughly when someone alleges harassment or domestic abuse. They couldn’t react, which caused negative things, demonstrating how institutions must alter to prevent calamities like these.
Sources
Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Press Release, August 3, 2025
WRNJ Radio, August 2, 2025
CBS News New York, August 21, 2025
New Jersey Monitor, August 7, 2025
