Elderly woman found dead in Lacey home, husband found barely alive

Authorities say an elderly woman was found dead in her Lacey Township home, and her husband was discovered barely alive in another part of the residence late Saturday afternoon.

But the circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear. 

Officers from the Lacey Township Police Department responded to an Abbey Court house in the Forked River section of the municipality shortly before 5 p.m. after family members had entered the residence due to being unable to reach the elderly couple, identified as Arnold Jacobs, 96, and Ruth Jacobs, 91, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, in a release. 

“Upon entry into the residence Arnold Jacobs was found on the garage floor semi-conscious. Ruth Jacobs was found on the kitchen floor totally unresponsive,” Della Fave said. “Ruth was subsequently pronounced dead at 7:10 p.m. by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office. Arnold was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment.”

Arnold Jacob, who remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition, has been unable to provide details to investigators due to his physical condition, according to Della Fave, who added that the residence was sealed pending processing by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and Ocean County Sheriff’s Department.

The Ocean County Medical Examiner will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the cause and manner of Ruth Jacob’s death, Della Fave said. 

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate, with assistance from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Lacey Township Police Department.

Della Fave said that there is nothing further to report as of late Sunday morning. 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.