In the autumn of 1938, a series of violent events began to unfold in a remote area of Mercer County, New Jersey, known as Duck Island, forever marking it with a history of tragedy. The first victims in what would become a string of attacks were twenty-year-old Vincenzo 'Jim' Tonzillo and sixteen-year-old Mary Myatovich. On the night of November 8, 1938, the young couple had parked their car in a secluded lovers' lane on the island, seeking privacy. It was here that their evening took a horrific turn.
They were suddenly ambushed by a man armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. The assailant, described as a short, stocky man, demanded money from the couple. When Tonzillo refused to comply with the demands, he was shot and killed instantly. Myatovich, in a desperate attempt to save her own life, fled from the vehicle but was shot in the lower body. The attacker then chased her down. Following reports of screams in the area, police arrived at the scene.
Myatovich was found alive and transported to a local hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries the following day. Before she died, she was able to provide the police with details of the terrifying assault.
The brutal nature of the crime sent a wave of fear through the local community, as young couples who frequented the lovers' lanes of Hamilton Township and the surrounding areas realized they were vulnerable. This incident was the first of six murders that would be attributed to the 'Duck Island Killer' over the next four years, creating a palpable sense of dread throughout the region.
The investigation into the murders eventually led to the arrest of Clarence Hill. Hill, a former Sunday school teacher, was convicted of first-degree murder in 1944 for the string of killings and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.
