In the late hours of a Friday evening in Browns Mills, New Jersey, a heated argument between cousins ended in tragedy. Horace Warthen, a 39-year-old man from Burlington City, was fatally shot on February 19, 2021. The events of that night began to unfold around 9:15 p.m., when police were called to a residence on Garden Avenue with a report of a man bleeding profusely, possibly from a stab wound.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered that the injured man, Horace Warthen, had already
been transported by his cousin, 29-year-old Antwian Warthen, to Capital Health at Deborah – Emergency Services. Shortly after arriving at the medical facility, Horace was pronounced dead by a physician. An autopsy would later confirm that he had died from gunshot wounds.
Antwian Warthen, who was present at the hospital when law enforcement arrived, chose to leave the scene on foot as police began their investigation inside. His departure prompted a search, and approximately 30 minutes later, he was located by police in a nearby neighborhood and taken into custody for questioning.
The investigation determined that Antwian Warthen had shot his cousin during an argument that took place inside the residence before he drove him to seek medical attention. Antwian Warthen was subsequently arrested and lodged in the Burlington County Jail. Following the investigation, a grand jury indicted him on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
