Elderly man kills wife, attempts to take his own life
MT. LAUREL » An 84-year-old resident has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of his 82-yearold wife in what may have been a mercy killing, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s office.
Dan Mook, 84, then turned the knife on himself, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Mount Laurel Police Chief Stephen Riedener, but survived.
Mook, of Fernbrooke Lane, was charged with first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden after the incident and remains there in stable condition. According to a press release, the investigation began when officers from the Mount Laurel Police Department were called to an assisted living facility for a report of a stabbing just before 7:30 p.m. on May 15. Upon arrival, they found the suspect suffering from numerous self-inflicted cuts and stab wounds.
His wife, Sharon Mook, was deceased when discovered in their bedroom. An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood ruled the cause of death to be multiple stab and slash wounds.
The preliminary investigation indicated the defendant killed his wife because she was in poor health and he was concerned that she was suffering.
The investigation is being conducted by the BCPO and the Mount Laurel Police Department, with assistance from the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office. The lead investigators are BCPO Detectives Jenn Marchese and Melyssa Alonso, and MLPD Detective Thomas Corsanico.