A quiet Thursday morning in Manahawkin, New Jersey, was shattered by gunfire that claimed the lives of 15-year-old Jessica Veitch and her 21-year-old sister, Melissa. On November 9, 2006, the sisters had just returned to their Mercer Avenue home from a convenience store when they were ambushed in their driveway. The gunman was identified as 52-year-old William Cordes Jr. of Tuckerton, the ex-boyfriend of the victims' mother, Dorea Veitch.
Neighbors reported hearing screams and gunshots around 11:25 a.m., prompting numerous calls to 911. When police arrived at the home in the Deer Lake Park section of the township, they discovered both sisters on the ground next to their car, each having been shot once in the torso. The passenger-side window of their vehicle had been shattered by a bullet. Jessica and Melissa were rushed to Southern Ocean County Hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
It was later reported that Melissa was four months pregnant at the time of her death.
Inside the residence, authorities found the perpetrator, William Cordes Jr., deceased on a living room couch. He had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and a. 45-caliber semi-automatic handgun was found in his hand. Investigators determined that after shooting the sisters, Cordes entered the home and took his own life.
The motive for the horrific act was believed to be connected to Dorea Veitch having recently ended her relationship with Cordes. Dorea was at work when the shootings occurred and was intercepted by police as she was heading home. As the perpetrator died by suicide, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Jessica and Melissa Veitch. The community was left to mourn the tragic loss of the two young sisters, who were remembered fondly by friends and neighbors. Jessica was a sophomore at Southern Regional High School, where she played the clarinet in the school band and was on the gymnastics team.
