BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A 40-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 72-year-old mother, who was found bludgeoned inside their Burlington Township home last week, authorities said.
Orsman Summerville was arrested Sunday upon release from a medical facility in Morris County and is being held at the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly. His detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Superior Court.
The investigation began the evening of July 6, when Burlington Township Police responded to a residence on the 100 block of Andre Court after family members discovered the body of Enid Wordsworth. She shared the home with her son.
An autopsy conducted by Dr. Ian Hood, the Burlington County medical examiner, determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.
Investigators allege Summerville killed his mother before fleeing the scene in a vehicle registered to her. Authorities issued an alert, and Summerville was located the next day following a crash on Interstate 287 in Morris County that required his hospitalization.
He was taken into custody July 14 after being medically cleared.