Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Pemberton Township man has been indicted on charges of fatally shooting his cousin during an argument earlier this year.
A grand jury indicted Antwian Warthen, 29, on charges of Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree).
The indictment was returned August 3 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be held soon in Superior Court. Warthen, who lives in the Browns Mills section of the township, has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since his arrest on February 20.
The investigation began on February 19 at approximately 9:15 p.m. when Pemberton Township police officers were dispatched to Warthen’s home for a report of a man severely bleeding, possibly due to a stab wound. Upon arrival, they were informed that Warthen had just transported his cousin, Horace Warthen, 39, of Burlington City, to Capital Health at Deborah – Emergency Services.
Police responding to the medical center were told that Horace Warthen had been pronounced dead by a physician after arriving at the facility a short time earlier. Antwian Warthen was at the hospital when police arrived but left on foot after they went inside to determine the status of Horace Warthen. Antwian Warthen was located by police walking in a nearby neighborhood approximately 30 minutes later and taken into custody for questioning.
The investigation revealed that Antwian Warthen shot Horace Warthen during an argument inside the residence, then drove him to the hospital to receive treatment.
The charges were presented to a grand jury by Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Hutchinson. The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Jenn Marchese and PTPD Detective Stephen Price.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.