Camden County man convicted in stabbing

A Gloucester City man has been convicted for his role in the stabbing and bludgeoning death of a 43-year-old woman in his apartment in 2006.

A Camden County jury found John Creamer, 43, guilty of two counts of aggravated manslaughter and hindering apprehension Thursday.

Creamer could face life in prison for his role in the murder of Lisa Hoopes, who was stabbed, hit with a hammer, and finally stomped upon.

Creamer, a former part-time tattoo artist, is the first of Hoopes' alleged assailants to face trial. Karen Sluzalis, 43, and Bryan Springer, 46, both of Pennsauken, also are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hindering apprehension, and weapons offenses. Their trials are not scheduled, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Hoopes, a mother of two adult daughters, was killed on March 18, 2006, in Creamer's North Burlington Street apartment. She went there to find Sluzalis, who was in the apartment shooting heroin, according to a statement Sluzalis gave police.

Hoopes, of Gloucester City, also was a heroin user, family members have said.

Sluzalis told the police that Hoopes attacked first. She said she hit Hoopes with a glass bottle in self-defense. She said Springer helped pull Hoopes off Sluzalis.

Creamer, however, said he had agreed to help Sluzalis and Springer kill Hoopes because the three suspected that Hoopes had stolen money from Sluzalis. According to his statement, Sluzalis stabbed Hoopes and Springer hit her with a hammer.

Creamer told police he stomped on Hoopes' face to "put her out of her misery."

Creamer turned himself in at the Oaklyn police station days later. He was covered with blood and told officers that "something bad had happened," authorities said.