Egg Harbor City Mother Shot, Killed

An Egg Harbor City mother of two was found dead behind her apartment Sunday.

Around 12:15 a.m. Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit detectives responded to a call from a resident at the Harbor City Apartments on Atlantic Avenue in Egg Harbor City. The resident had discovered a body behind the apartment buildings.

The woman was identified as 29-year-old Deanna Downs, a resident of the apartment complex.

After original reports that she was shot, Downs was ruled dead from blunt force trauma. But an autopsy revealed that she was actually shot to death as originally thought.

The death shocked Downs family and friends.

"I just can't, just can't…still can't grasp it," Downs fiance James Sanders said.

Downs  left behind 8- and 10-year-old sons.

"The hardest thing for me to do was to tell her 10 year old that you're never going to see your mother again," Sanders said.

There were no known suspect or motive as of Sunday night.

Anyone with information should call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office website. They can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers website.


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