What to Know
- Gary Deal, 26, Joan Deal, 26, and Jason, 3, were found killed in their Folsom, New Jersey, home on Oct. 30, 1978.
- Each of the Deals had his or her throat slashed and the parents were also shot. No one has ever been charged in the brutal triple murder.
- Police are asking for the public's help and retesting evidence with modern methods in the hope of getting justice for the Deals.
Could new forensic technology help solve the brutal 40-year-old cold case triple murder of a young New Jersey couple and their 3-year-old son?
New Jersey State Police found the bodies of 26-year-old Gary Deal, 26-year-old Joan Deal and their young son Jason inside their home on Mays Landing Road in Folsom, Atlantic County, on Oct. 30, 1978.
Gary Deal was found on the floor near the front door, his naked wife was found on the bedroom floor, police said. Each was shot multiple times in the head and had their throats slashed. Jason, in his pajamas, was found lying on his bed with his throat slashed.
The last time the Deals had been heard from was the evening of Oct. 26, 1978, four days before their bloodied bodies were found, police said.
“The brutal murder of the Deal family sent shock waves throughout New Jersey and across the country, with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies assisting with the case,” state police said in a Facebook post Wednesday. “The original detectives conducted an extremely thorough and relentless investigation, compiling volumes of information before exhausting all leads.”
Police zeroed in on numerous suspects but no one was ever charged and the case went cold.
On the 40th anniversary of the Deals’ deaths, state police hope that recently resubmitted ballistic and DNA evidence, using modern forensic technology, could get justice for the young family.
State police aren’t just relying on the new technology, they are asking anyone who might know information about the Deals’ deaths to contact homicide Detective Mario Nocito at 609-561-1800, ext. 3354. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
