A 35-year-old New Jersey mother died inside her home from “sharp force injuries,” according to an autopsy, after she was discovered near her infant daughter.
Conor Hanlon, 36, of Chester, told authorities he found his wife, Brooke Hanlon, unresponsive with stab wounds at their residence on June 6. The couple’s daughter, Avery, who was under a year old, was also inside the home but was not injured.
No arrests have been made in Brooke Hanlon’s death. Conor has denied having any involvement.
The autopsy report for the mother of one, obtained by NorthJersey.com, listed “sharp force injuries” as the cause of death. Much of the report was redacted, including details about the wounds.
During a 911 call, a dispatcher told Conor that Brooke had suffered a “laceration” and instructed him to begin CPR.
“Brooke, baby, I need you!” he was heard saying. “I got this. You got it, Brooke.”
The heavily censored autopsy report noted that law enforcement officers and members of the prosecutor’s office were present during the examination on June 7.
The investigation into Brooke Hanlon’s death is still active, with authorities yet to identify any suspects or announce an arrest.
Brooke Hanlon’s autopsy found that she died from “sharp force injuries,” though the nature of those injuries was redacted
Conor Hanlon, 36, of Chester, said he found his wife, Brooke Hanlon, unresponsive with stab wounds at their home on June 6
The couple’s infant daughter, Avery, was also found inside the home and was not hurt
Earlier this month, a veteran New Jersey law enforcement official familiar with the case told Our News Outlet that investigators were examining a piece of evidence or a lead that had not yet been fully analyzed.
“They do have something, and they’re trying to work it out,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
The source, who has broad experience in homicide and forensic investigations, said DNA appeared to be among the forensic questions being explored.
When contacted Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office told Our News Outlet: “No update – no information. Still an open investigation.”
DON’T MISS: Architect Fired After Drunken Assault on Flight Attendant
Conor, who has not publicly discussed his wife’s death beyond brief comments to Our News Outlet last month, has reportedly been making more frequent trips to the home where he told police he found Brooke stabbed, with “blood everywhere.”
“Of course not,” Conor said when asked whether he played any role in his wife’s death.
“It’s a tragedy. My heart is totally shattered.”
The father is believed to have returned shortly after Brooke’s death to the Boston area, where his parents and numerous other relatives reside.
Investigators have released few details about the unexplained death. Pictured: the couple’s home
A 911 call between Conor and a dispatcher revealed the mom had a ‘laceration’ on her body. Conor was told to perform CPR on his wife
But Conor’s been commuting more frequently back to the secluded home in the woods that he once shared with his late wife and baby daughter, local residents told Our News Outlet earlier this month.
‘It’s bizarre,’ a neighbor told Our News Outlet Wednesday, one of several local residents who have been worried about the lack of information coming out of the Morris County Prosecutor’s office since the day Hanlon was murdered – and Conor’s eerie presence next door.
‘We still aren’t being told anything, and nothing makes sense.’
The circumstances surrounding Brooke’s death have raised questions from the beginning.
Conor was at the couple’s home on the Saturday his wife was killed but reportedly left to run an errand, according to unverified reports. The home sits near Hacklebarney State Park in a heavily wooded area of the township.
He returned a short time later and called 911 after finding Brooke gravely injured inside the house.
Investigators descended on the home on June 6, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation.
They have not said whether a murder weapon was recovered, if there was evidence of forced entry or whether investigators believe Brooke knew her killer.
Nor have authorities explained whether they believe someone else entered the house while Conor was away.
