Prosecutors say a man accused of murdering a New Jersey resident and also suspected of killing four others in New Mexico, including his ex-wife, has admitted to murdering 16 people in total.
NJ.com reported that Gloucester County Assistant Prosecutor Alec Gutierrez said during a detention hearing for the New Jersey case Friday that 47-year-old Sean Lannon said he murdered 66-year-old Michael Dabkowski, Lannon’s youth mentor whom he has accused of sexually assaulting. like a child.
In addition to the murder of Dabkowski, who was beaten to death at his home on March 8, prosecutors argued that Lannon also confessed to murdering his ex-wife, 39-year-old Jennifer Lannon, as well as others, including “11 other individuals. “. who were drug dealers. ”
He admitted to killing a total of 16 people … 15 in New Mexico and one in the state of New Jersey. I understand the FBI is assisting New Mexico in their investigation, ”Gutierrez said Friday, according to NJ.com.
Court documents noted that Lannon confessed to the murders during a telephone conversation with a relative, who then reported them to Gloucester County investigators.
In the call, Lannon reportedly said he “killed his wife and her boyfriends in New Mexico,” as well as Dabkowski in New Jersey. He also reportedly expressed remorse for his actions, NJ.com noted.
Lannon and his wife had three children together and moved from New Jersey to New Mexico before divorcing in 2019.
Prosecutors allege that Lannon admitted to luring several victims to a home in New Mexico, where he dismembered several of them.
While police have already linked Lannon to five deaths – Dabkowski, along with his wife and three others whose bodies were found at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport – Police Lieutenant Commander David Chavez in Lannon’s hometown of Grants, NM, said there are currently there’s no evidence to bind Lannon. back to the murder of 11 others.
“Is this possible? Sure it is possible. Is it likely? No, probably not,” Chavez said to the Albuquerque Journalalthough he added that the police are investigating the matter.
Lannon was arrested in St. Louis last week after a multi-state house search by police. According to The Associated Press, he was found driving a car stolen from Dabkowski.
Lannon has been charged with first degree murder and burglary, robbery and theft in the New Jersey case.
As of Saturday, Lannon has also been named as a person of interest in the deaths of his ex-wife and the three others in New Mexico, the AP reported.
While Lannon’s public defender attempted on Friday to argue that his absence from previous convictions and service in the US military qualified him for provisional release, the local judge sided with prosecutors to keep Lannon behind bars because he was “a significant amount. endangers the community, ”according to NJ.com.