A New Jersey community is reeling after Lt. Ricardo Santos, a 45-year-old state trooper, fatally shot his ex-girlfriend, veterinarian Lauren Semanchik, 33, and her boyfriend, volunteer firefighter Tyler Webb, 29, before taking his own life.
The attack took place on August 1 in Franklin Township after months of alleged stalking and harassment that began following the end of Santos and Semanchik’s brief relationship in September 2024. Dash-cam footage from Semanchik’s car reportedly showed Santos following her from work that evening. Surveillance video later captured a figure emerging from the woods near her home shortly before the killings.
Authorities say Webb arrived at the residence shortly after Semanchik, and both were found dead the next day. Santos was later discovered in his vehicle about 50 miles away with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the weapon used in the murders found nearby.
Semanchik’s family said she had repeatedly sought help, filing for a restraining order, installing surveillance equipment, and reporting incidents of Santos planting tracking devices and recording equipment in her home. They claim their pleas were ignored despite clear warning signs of escalating danger.
Santos had also been named in an ongoing lawsuit accusing him of inflating his earnings through overtime abuse and retaliating against a whistleblower, raising questions about oversight within the New Jersey State Police.
Investigators are treating the case as a targeted act of domestic violence, and the incident has renewed calls for stronger intervention measures in cases involving law enforcement officers accused of harassment or abuse.