Police: 2 dead in Pontiac motel were victims of homicide

PONTIAC — Authorities discovered the bodies of a mother and son Tuesday in a Pontiac motel, both victims of homicide.

Family members contacted by the Daily Leader in Pontiac said the mother and son — Tyler R. Friant, 22, of Pontiac — were shot to death at their residence in the Palamar Motel, located in the 200 block of South Ladd Street, and another son was gravely injured.

The injured person was taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, but was later discharged, according to a nursing supervisor. He apparently was taken to a hospital in Springfield. A nursing supervisor at St. John’s Hospital said she could give out any information on the person or his condition.

Police were called to the Palamar shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday to conduct a wellness check on a resident, the chief said.

"One of the residents’ co-workers or boss was concerned" when that person did not show up for work Tuesday and asked police to conduct the check, Pontiac police Chief James Woolford said.

View the original article here

Death of 18-year-old Brick woman in Toms River motel under investigation, police say

TOMS RIVER — The death of an 18-year-old Brick woman found dead this week at a township motel has been labeled suspicious, investigators said Wednesday.

The woman?s lifeless body was found in a room at the Red Roof Inn on Water Street on Tuesday morning, but investigators still don?t know what caused her death, said Capt. Jack Sramaty, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor?s Office.

The woman?s identity has been withheld by police.

Sramaty said the woman?s death is ?considered suspicious? and investigators with the prosecutor?s Major Crimes Unit are trying to find out all of the circumstances surrounding how she died.

?Anytime someone that young dies, the death is labeled as suspicious,? Sramaty said.

An autopsy was performed on the woman later Tuesday, Sramaty said.

He said the exact cause of her death won?t be determined until investigators get back toxicology results.

?It could take as long as two weeks,? Sramaty said.

He declined to discuss whether the death may have been drug-related.

?We don?t know what this is right now,? Sramaty said.

The woman was found by township police after they received a call to check on the woman?s well-being at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Inn on Water Street, according to Police Chief Michael G. Mastronardy.

?Police got a call from someone who was concerned and asked us to go check on her,? Mastronardy said.

Mastronardy said the Prosecutor?s Office and Toms River Police are continuing to investigate the death along with the Ocean County Sheriff?s Department and Detective Randy Petrick.

View the original article here