A tragic love triangle turned deadly in New Jersey over the weekend, leaving a veterinarian, her new boyfriend, and a state trooper dead in what police say was a double murder-suicide fueled by jealousy.
Authorities say Dr. Lauren Semanchik, 33, and her boyfriend, Tyler Webb, 29, were gunned down outside Semanchik’s Franklin Township home on Friday night, Aug. 1. Hours later, just seven miles away, New Jersey State Trooper Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Santos, 37, was found in a white Mercedes SUV near a park, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators believe Santos, Semanchik’s ex-boyfriend, ambushed the couple after following her home from work. According to prosecutors, surveillance footage from Semanchik’s own vehicle showed a white Mercedes trailing her for miles before a figure was caught on camera walking through the woods toward her driveway. Minutes after Webb arrived at the home, gunshots rang out.
Neighbors told reporters they heard the chaos unfold. “We clearly heard shots. We knew pretty quickly it was a pistol… and then, we heard screams,” one neighbor recalled. “She sounded terrified, like she was running.”
Semanchik had ended her relationship with Santos in September 2024, but police say she told them he continued harassing and trying to control her. At the time of the shooting, she had recently started dating Webb, a volunteer firefighter and business owner.
Santos’ body was discovered alongside a semiautomatic handgun, and prosecutors say the video evidence, combined with the circumstances, left no doubt he was the gunman.
Friends and family are remembering Semanchik as a compassionate animal lover whose dedication to rescue work began at just 10 years old. Webb is remembered as a devoted firefighter, skilled mechanic, and loyal friend who found joy in the open road, his dog Luna, and the people around him.
Co-workers have launched GoFundMe campaigns to help both families cope with their sudden, heartbreaking loss.
