Double Suicide in Lacey, 1939

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New Jersey Courier 22 Sep 1939:

A heart rending tragedy touched Ocean County homes Tuesday when Albert J. King, aged 36, and father of 3 small children, and Marie Pirozzi, aged 26, of Bergen avenue, Lakewood, were found dead in the rear seat of King's car in the woods near Lacey Road, about five miles West of Forked River. The man and woman were evidently victims of a suicide pact, as the police and Coroner J. Anderson have found no evidence of violence.

The terrible discovery was made by William Cranmer of Forked River, who noticed the car in the woods as he drove along Lacey Road Tuesday afternoon. When he returned about 6:30 he again saw the machine and investigated. He found King's body sitting on the side of the rear seat of the car, and Mrs. Pirozzi's body was lying across the seat with her head nestled in his lap. A hose had been taped to the exhaust pipe of the car and pushed through a crack in the floor so as to supply the lethal carbon dioxide gas which brought death. Cranmer immediately called state police to the scene, and Coroner Bugbee was notified. King was identified through his driver's license, and the woman was not identified until Wednesday afternoon when her husband viewed the body at Bugbee's undertaking parlors in Barnegat.

Brothers of King said that he had been employed as an extra crossing watchman for the New Jersey Central railroad, and he had just recently purchased the car, which was a new Chevrolet sedan, with only 1,900 miles on the speedometer.

The dead man's wife had passed away in 1937, and he was the father of three sons, Richard and James, twins, and Albert, Jr.

The woman is said to have been the mother of two children, but no details as to her connections could be learned. It is believed that the couple had been friends for some time, as a picture of the woman which was taken in 1934, was found in the car.

Funeral services for Mr. King will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the house, with the Rev. Paul Sloan, Jr. officiating. Interment will be in Atlantic View cemetery, Manasquan, in charge of the Lefferson Funeral home, Manasquan
Location: Lacey Township, NJ, USA

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