John Sheridan, CEO of Cooper University Health System in Camden, N.J., and his wife were found unresponsive at the scene of a fire that was deliberately set in their home Sept. 28. Authorities have not released further detail on how the fire was set or named any suspects, but have said the investigation is highly complex.
Mr. Sheridan, 72 and his wife, Joyce, were found unresponsive in their home in Skillman, N.J., early Sunday morning after a neighbor called 911 upon smelling and seeing smoke from their house. Mr. Sheridan died on the scene, whereas his wife was pronounced dead at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (N.J.).
On Oct. 1, Somerset County officials released information stating the fire in their bedroom was deliberately set and contained to that room, although officials have yet to state whether the fire caused their deaths. Authorities have said the investigation is "very complex," according to an ABC News report.
Audio recording from the 911 call was recently made public through an Open Public Records Act request, which reignited media coverage of the case. In that recording, the neighbor reports hearing noises of somebody "trying to get out" and "banging on the door," but Somerset County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Capt. Jack Bennett later said his office believes those sounds were made by the fire from the dwelling as it was burning.
Ms. Sheridan was a retired teacher, and Mr. Sheridan was recognized as a longtime political figure in New Jersey. He began work at Cooper in 2005 as senior executive vice president and was appointed president and CEO in 2008. Prior to joining Cooper, Mr. Sheridan was a senior partner and co-chairman of New Jersey law firm Riker, Danzig, Riker. He also served for several years as general counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Carrier Clinic in Belle Meade, N.J.
Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan are survived by their four sons, one of whom serves as general counsel for the New Jersey Republican State Committee. In an update from this past weekend, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano said his team is very confident the Sheridans' sons "played no role in the death of their mother and father," according to a NJ Advance Media report. "Continued efforts of the various media outlets to obtain information from this office — beyond which is required by governing authority and which has already been supplied — is unjustly and unreasonably causing speculation as to the circumstances involved in the investigation," Mr. Soriano added.
A memorial service was held for the Sheridans Oct. 7. There, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Cooper Health System Board of Trustees Chairman George E. Norcross III and former New Jersey governors offered remarks.