Man arrested in a Gloucester County homicide and 4 deaths in New Mexico
Sean Lannon, most recently of New Mexico but who has roots in New Jersey, was identified as a person of interest in the Monday killing of a man in East Greenwich Township, Gloucester County.
A 47-year-old man wanted in connection with the death of a Gloucester County resident and the killings of four people in New Mexico was arrested Wednesday morning in St. Louis by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Sean Lannon, most recently of New Mexico but who has roots in New Jersey, allegedly bludgeoned Michael Dabkowski, 66, to death in the victim’s Mickleton home and stole his vehicle, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Lannon’s arrest in Gloucester County.
Lannon is also the primary suspect in the deaths of four people whose bodies were found in a car last Friday in an Albuquerque airport parking garage, authorities said. The victims were identified as Matthew Miller, 21, Jennifer Lannon, 39, Jesten Mata, 40, and Randal Apostalon, 60.
The affidavit for Lannon’s South Jersey arrest identified Jennifer Lannon as his wife. It said a witness told an investigator with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday that during a phone conversation, Lannon admitted to killing “his wife and her boyfriends” in New Mexico and also admitted that he killed Dabkowski.
About 6:30 p.m. Monday, East Greenwich Township police responded to Dabkowski’s home on Myrtle Avenue for a wellness check, the affidavit said. Dabkowski was found dead in a laundry room.
Dabkowski appeared to suffer multiple wounds to his head from a blunt object, the affidavit said. Thomas Gilbert, spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office, declined to comment on what the object was and whether it was found.
He said Lannon will be charged with murder, burglary, possession of a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, and related offenses, and is awaiting extradition from Missouri.
Gilbert said Lannon and his wife grew up in South Jersey, and Lannon knew Dabkowski from his time living there, but he did not have further details. He said Lannon and his wife moved to New Mexico as a couple and later divorced.
Lannon was arrested Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals’ St. Louis Metro Fugitive Task Force after being found inside Dabkowski’s 2018 Honda CR-V while in front of a residence in St. Louis, authorities said.
Acting Gloucester County Prosecutor Christine Hoffman praised the collaboration among various law enforcement authorities for Lannon’s rapid arrest.
The investigation remains active and detectives are asking anyone with information about the crimes to call Sgt. John Petroski of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at 856-498-6238.