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Boyfriend charged with killing Egg Harbor City mother and son, setting home on fire

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EHC FATAL EHC FATAL

From The Press Of Atlantic City

By LYNDA COHEN and BRADEN CAMPBELL Staff Writers

An Egg Harbor City man killed his girlfriend and her 7-year-old son, then set the home they shared on fire, according to charges filed Friday.

Joseph F. Palmer III, 38, who lived in the Washington Avenue home with Michelle and Gavin Pabst, is charged with two counts of murder and aggravated arson in the deaths of the mother and son, whose bodies were found inside after firefighters put out Wednesday’s blaze, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced Friday.

Palmer, who was found injured outside the residence, was arrested Friday as he was....Continue Reading



discharged from AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s City Campus in Atlantic City.

Michelle Heist Pabst, 38, died of multiple sharp and blunt-force injuries, according to an autopsy performed Thursday by Dr. Ian Hood. Gavin Pabst was stabbed multiple times.

Hundreds gathered at a candlelight vigil Friday evening to remember the Pabsts, Michelle as a lover of life and Gavin as a boy who would light up any room he entered.

“We can’t change what happened,” said Pastor Bruce Weaknecht of the Moravian Church in Egg Harbor City, which the Pabsts attended. “We can try to help and be willing to help each other.”

The vigil was organized by school district leaders and youth athletics coordinators. Egg Harbor City Crusaders Director Mason Wright said the turnout was typical of a town that pulls together in crisis.

“This is what Egg Harbor City does,” said Wright, who coached Gavin in T-ball. “When you lose one of your own, the whole town comes together and supports everybody.”

Egg Harbor City police and firefighters were called to the residence at 8:11 a.m. Wednesday and found Palmer outside. He was treated for injuries and then taken to AtlantiCare, where he was arrested by Major Crimes detectives from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 12:30 p.m. Friday.

No details about Palmer’s injuries have been officially released, but at least one neighbor said he was bloody as he was taken away on a stretcher.

McClain credited an ongoing around-the-clock investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office and Egg Harbor City police with making the arrest. Assistance came from police in Mullica and Hamilton townships and Atlantic City, the Atlantic County Office of the Fire Marshal and the State Arson K-9 Fire Investigation Unit.

Palmer is in the Atlantic County jail on $2 million full cash bail.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666.

Contact Lynda Cohen:

609-272-7257

LCohen@pressofac.com

This story was taken from the news source stated above. It is not necessarily the opinion of The Elwood Vol. Fire Company or it's members.

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