Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief David King announced that a Browns Mills man was charged yesterday with fatally shooting his cousin during an argument Friday night.
Antwian Warthen, 29, of the 400 block of Garden Avenue, was charged with Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree).
The investigation began Friday 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. 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. An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined the victim died from gunshot wounds.
Antwian Warthen was lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court later this week. The case will be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment. Warthen will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Bob Van Gilst, supervisor of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit – Violent Crimes Section.
The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Jen Marchese and PTPD Detective Stephen Price.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.