Postwar cluster (1954–2022): outside research, outcomes, and leads

Working notes, 2026-09-06/07. Sources outside the notebook: CourtListener opinions, Patch, NJSP/press coverage, Charley Project, Chronicling America, NYT archive index. Nothing merged into entry/. Allegations are labeled as such; several subjects (Patterson, Still, Luciani, Hill, Seales) are or may be living.

STATUS: in progress; sections are added as they are confirmed.

entry/armstrong-lisa-2013.html — RESOLVED (conviction and sentence)

  • Verdict: Terrance J. Patterson, then 39, of Trenton, was convicted June 1, 2016 by a Burlington County jury of murder, kidnapping and robbery of Lisa Armstrong, 47.
  • Sentence (July 2016): life without parole for murder, with concurrent 30 years (kidnapping) and 20 years (robbery). Prosecutor’s office statement issued under Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi.
  • Facts as stated by the prosecution: Armstrong was taken from her home on South Cook Avenue, Trenton, by Patterson and co-defendant Lorain (the notebook’s “L’rain”) Hawkins, 44, of Spring Street, Trenton, to the wooded area along Route 206 in Tabernacle; she was shot twice in the head and killed where she was found; robbery was the motive and the killing was to conceal it. Body discovered morning of October 7, 2013 by land surveyors (this settles the entry’s Oct. 7-or-8 question in favor of Oct. 7 as the discovery date; the AP brief was probably printed Oct. 8).
  • Hawkins was charged with murder in June 2014 and died of cancer shortly after her arrest; she was never tried.
  • Sources: Patch (Cinnaminson), “Mercer County Man Who Murdered Woman in Burlington County Sentenced to Life in Prison: Prosecutor,” July 12, 2016, https://patch.com/new-jersey/cinnaminson/mercer-county-man-who-murdered-woman-burlington-county-sentenced-life-prison ; Pine Barrens Tribune, “Trenton Man Sentenced To Life for Tabernacle Twp. Murder,” https://pinebarrenstribune.com/trenton-man-sentenced-to-life-for-tabernacle-twp-murder-p206-165.htm (URL now 404; cite as archived); CBS Philadelphia, “Arrest Made In Murder Of Woman Found In Woods Along Rt. 206” (Oct. 2013). NJSP releases pr101513 and pr061614a have been removed from nj.gov (404 as of 2026-09-06); check the Wayback Machine.
  • Open: no App. Div. opinion for Patterson found on CourtListener (searched “State v. Patterson” 2016– with Armstrong/Tabernacle). If an appeal exists it may be unpublished and indexed under docket only; NJ Courts’ unpublished opinions site (njcourts.gov) is the next check. Patterson is living; keep language to the record.

entry/body-found-in-stafford-forge-do-you-know-this-man-barnegat-nj-patch.html — IDENTIFIED CASE (not yet identified person)

The saved Patch link resolves. It is not the Mulcahy 1992 bag site and not connected to the 2013 Cocuzza disappearance. It is a December 2013 unidentified-decedent case:

  • Found: Thursday, December 19, 2013, about noon, by a couple walking a dog, in the Eagleswood section of Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area (some outlets say “Stafford Forge State Forest”). Note 6abc’s archive page mis-dates the discovery to “Sunday” Dec. 23; the Patch stories of Dec. 20 fix the find on Thursday the 19th.
  • Decedent: man believed of Hispanic heritage, estimated 50–60, 5’5”–5’8”, 130–165 lb., no identification on him, no obvious trauma; autopsy the next day left cause and manner undetermined. Toms River PD produced a sketch, released about Dec. 23, 2013.
  • Agencies: NJSP Tuckerton Station (Det. Sgt. Simonson, 609-296-3132), Troop C Criminal Investigation Office, NJSP Major Crimes Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. NJSP release pr122313 (Dec. 23, 2013) is no longer on nj.gov.
  • Early speculation linked him to Barnett Zeldin, 74, of Mays Landing, missing since Oct. 7, 2013 after saying he was going hunting; Lt. Stephen Jones said there was “no immediate indication” it was Zeldin (Patch, Dec. 20, 2013). The description (50–60, Hispanic) does not fit Zeldin.
  • Sources: Patch Barnegat–Manahawkin, “Autopsy Results Pending For Body Found In Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area” (Dec. 20, 2013) https://patch.com/new-jersey/barnegat-manahawkin/autopsy-results-pending-for-body-found-in-stafford-forge-wildlife-management-area ; Patch Toms River, “Police Release Sketch Of Man Found Dead In Stafford Forge Wildlife Area” https://patch.com/new-jersey/tomsriver/police-release-sketch-of-man-found-dead-in-stafford-forge-wildlife-area-tomsriver ; Patch Barnegat–Manahawkin, “Body Found In Stafford Forge: Do You Know This Man?” (Dec. 23–24, 2013) https://patch.com/new-jersey/barnegat-manahawkin/do-you-know-this-man_37d144d6 ; 6abc archive 9369644; CBS Philadelphia “Police In Ocean County Trying To ID Body Of Man Found …”
  • Relationship to unidentified-2013.html: the empty “Unidentified 2013” page was saved 13 minutes after this Patch link (10:26 vs 10:39 a.m., Dec. 17, 2021), both under “Stafford.” The Stafford Forge decedent is a 2013 unidentified man; that is a far better fit for “Unidentified 2013” than the Cocuzza hypothesis in the 2026-09-05 notes (Cocuzza went missing in 2013 but was found and identified in 2016, and was filed near Red Lion, not Stafford). Recommend treating unidentified-2013 as this Stafford Forge case, with the Cocuzza link kept only as a note.
  • Open: whether he was ever identified. Next source: NamUs Unidentified Persons search (Ocean County, NJ, found 2013-12-19); Doe Network NJ unidentified males list; NJSP Missing Persons/unidentified page.