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“It’s unique. I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said private investigator Carl DeFazio.
More than two months since a New Jersey mother and psychotherapist was found dead in her Chester home, investigators have remained tight-lipped in the homicide case.
Brooke Hanlon, 35, was found dead of multiple stab wounds inside her home on Pottersville Road on June 6.
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Brooke Hanlon was found murdered inside her Chester, New Jersey home in a case that prompted a local homicide investigation. (LinkedIn)
DeFazio is a former U.S. Marine and retired NYPD officer. He said while the ongoing silence is fueling speculation, it’s possible there are developments happening behind closed doors that law enforcement won’t release in an effort to preserve the integrity of the case.
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“I always look at what they’re not telling you,” he said. “They always, especially in a homicide case, hold one or two things back that only the perp would know.”
Conor Hanlon leaves a residence in Brighton, Mass., Thursday, July 9, 2026. Hanlon is the widower of Brooke Hanlon, who was found dead in their home in New Jersey in June. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Digital)
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation and has yet to reveal a suspect or person of interest.
The investigation started when Conor Hanlon, Brooke’s husband, made a 911 call reporting his wife was unresponsive and not breathing.
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Brooke Hanlon, 35, was found dead with multiple stab wounds inside her Pottersville Road home in Chester, New Jersey on June 6, investigators say. (Kelsie Cairns)
Officers responded to the call and within minutes pronounced her dead at the scene, classified the death as “suspicious.”
Sources confirmed to Digital the couple’s 12-month-old baby was inside at the time of the incident. The child was unharmed.
Brooke Hanlon was found stabbed to death in her Chester, NJ home in June. No suspect has been named in her case. (Facebook/Meta)
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DeFazio noted that in high-profile homicides, initial 911 audio and the presence of family members inside the home are among the very first things investigators dissect to establish a timeline.
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A computer-aided dispatch (CAD) log released to Digital revealed several days of investigative activity at the home.
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Exterior view of the home where the murdered body of Brooke Hanlon was found in early June with multiple stab wounds to the torso, Chester Township, NJ, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Digital)
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DeFazio said the first few days of an investigation are critical to preventing missteps.
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“I always start at the beginning — the crime scene — and work my way out. A lot of investigators will go in there with a suspect and try to make the facts fit their suspect. That’s the wrong way to do it,” DeFazio said.
Brooke Hanlon, whose death was ruled a homicide, was found at her New Jersey home in June 2026. She is pictured with her sister, Paige, who is seen to her left. (Paige Haggerty)
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“I look at what they didn’t do. Did they interview the neighbors? Did they rope off the house? Did they take DNA samples? Did they find a crime weapon? Was there a struggle? Were there any defensive wounds? I’d really love to see the ME’s [medical examiner’s] report.”
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Digital previously spoke to neighbors who revealed they are still on edge and constantly looking over their shoulders for a potential murderer on the loose.
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Brooke Hanlon, 35, was found stabbed to death on June 6, 2026, in Chester, New Jersey. Nearly seven weeks later, investigators have not announced a suspect, identified a person of interest or made an arrest in the case. (Kelsie Cairns)
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DeFazio said investigators in complex homicide cases must audit every detail from day one—ranging from financial policies like life insurance to underlying personal relationships—which often explains why police hold back information while piecing together a timeline.
Jennifer Payne, Brooke Hanlon, and Conor Hanlon pose for a photo at a Boston College football game. (Jennifer Payne)
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Digital has repeatedly reached out to Conor Hanlon for comment. He has not been charged with any crime or wrongdoing.
