Hunterdon County, NJ – Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson announced on Tuesday, August 22, that Brandon E. Petersen, 33, of Newton, Sussex County, was sentenced to a 60-year state prison term for the murder of Michelle Carkhuff, 38. The sentence, handed down by the Honorable Angela F. Borkowski, J.S.C., is subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring Petersen to serve 85% of his sentence, or 51 years, before becoming eligible for parole.
Prosecutor Robeson described the case as an “unspeakably tragic” and “senseless murder.” She expressed sympathy to the victim’s family, who attended every day of the trial and shared their grief with the Court. Robeson also acknowledged the efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Tangerla Thomas, Assistant Prosecutor Christina Ludwig, Lieutenant Kristen Larsen, and other law enforcement agencies for their combined efforts in the investigation and conviction of Petersen.
A Hunterdon County jury found Petersen guilty of first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree unlawful taking of a means of conveyance following a three-week trial that ended on May 26.
The case dates back to December 6, 2020, when officers from the Delaware Township Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing victim at a residence on Kingwood Stockton Road.
Carkhuff was transported by a friend to a local hospital in Mercer County, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Petersen, who had fled the residence before officers arrived, was arrested the following morning in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania.