4 People Charged in NJ Man's Murder

Police say one the men arrested was a friend of the victim

Four people are charged in the murder of a Franklin Township man, who police say was tied up, beaten and robbed.

Investigators say the body of John McConnell, 54, was discovered at his Franklin Township home on Monday by his brother.
 
McConnell's hands and feet were bound with duct tape and zip ties, police say.

One of the men arrested, Jon Nordberg, was McConnell's friend, according to police. They believe he plotted the murder with the help of his girlfriend Valerie Niessner, her niece Amanda Rickerd, and another friend David Buss.

An autopsy confirmed McConnell had been beaten in the head and neck and he eventually suffocated.

A neighbor tells NBC10's Nefertiti Jaquez that McConnell was a really nice guy.

"It's more scary, because you don't know who to trust these days," said Wilfredo Beltran.

All four suspects are behind bars tonight. Bail was set at $1.5M for Nordberg and $1M for Buss, who are both being held at the Gloucester County Jail.

Bail was set at $750K for Rickerd and Niessner, who are both locked up at Salem County Women's Detention Center.
 

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