A woman was found slain early yesterday in the smoldering wreckage of her Burlington County townhouse, where police had gone to report that her boyfriend had driven her car into the Delaware River, authorities said.
Firefighters found Lauren Noble, 29, on the second floor of her home in the first block of Alexandra Court in Marlton. After an autopsy yesterday afternoon, Burlington County Medical Examiner Dante Ragasa ruled her death a homicide. He withheld the cause of death, citing the continuing investigation.
Investigators questioned Noble's boyfriend, Joseph Morice, 29, of Evesham, after his release from Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was treated for injuries he suffered when he drove Noble's 2004 Mercury sedan into the river.
Morice has not been named a suspect in Noble's death.
"At the present time, no suspects have been identified," said Jack Smith, spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.
The mysterious saga began shortly before 2 a.m. yesterday when Palmyra police received a call that a car had driven into the river near the 5200 block of Riverfront Drive, Smith said.
Police found the vehicle submerged to the roof. As rescue personnel searched for the driver, police saw Morice climb out of the driver's side and pull himself onto the roof of the car, Smith said. A fire department crew rescued him by boat.
Palmyra authorities asked Evesham police to tell Noble they had found her car.
When an Evesham officer arrived at the townhouse at 2:57 a.m., he found it ablaze. The officer forced open the front door and tried to enter but was driven back by the intense smoke and heat, Smith said.
Noble's body was found shortly after 3:30 a.m. near an upstairs powder room, Smith said.
Kathy Feriozzi, who lives in the townhouse next door, said she and her husband did not realize the unit next door was on fire.
"We were sleeping and the Evesham police woke us up, Feriozzi said. "It was very scary."
She said a firewall kept the flames from her unit. The only apparent fire damage beyond 24 Alexandra Court was to the eaves of neighboring units.
Distributed by the Associated Press
