In the quiet community of Pemberton Township, New Jersey, the life of 32-year-old Joseph McBreen III was tragically cut short on the evening of December 9, 2016. McBreen, a male resident of the township, was outside in the 3500 block of North Lakeshore Drive just before 9 p.m. when he was fatally shot by an unknown assailant. He was rushed to the nearby Deborah Heart and Lung Center, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The sudden and violent nature of his death sent shockwaves through the community where he was a familiar face. A graduate of Pemberton High School, McBreen had served his country as a U.S. Marine. Following his military service, he pursued higher education, earning an associate's degree from Burlington County College and later attending Rutgers in Camden.
He was a loving father to his son, Cameron.
In the wake of the shooting, an investigation was launched by detectives from the Pemberton Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. Despite their efforts, the shooter remained at large, and the weapon used in the crime was never recovered. An autopsy was performed the day after the incident to officially determine the cause of death.
Months after the tragic event, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office announced a $5,000 reward for any information that would lead to an arrest and conviction in the case. This was part of a wider initiative to solve several unsolved murders in the area. However, despite the reward and the ongoing investigation, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of Joseph McBreen III. The case remains unsolved, leaving a lingering sense of injustice and loss within the community and his family.
