A man accused of murdering another man with a bow and arrow outside a South Jersey home had a complex relationship with the victim, according to a police source. The source tells NBC10 the suspect lived with the ex-girlfriend of the victim.
Camden County Prosecutor Warren Faulk announced Tuesday that Timothy Canfield, 25, of N Brill Avenue in Berlin was charged with murder after allegedly using a compound bow to shoot an arrow into the stomach of Kereti Paulsen, 25, of Cape May Court House.
Prosecutors say that Paulsen and another man who resides in Canfield’s home got into a fistfight between 10 and 10:45 p.m. Monday. The fight started over a girl, neighbors said.
After the fight, prosecutors say that Paulsen remained outside the Brill Avenue home. That’s when prosecutors say that Canfield, who had nothing to do with the original altercation, came outside with a compound bow (a modern bow often used for hunting that uses cables and pulleys) and a quiver of arrows.
PHOTO CARE OF PAULSEN FAMILY
Canfield is accused of shooting at Paulsen and hitting him in the stomach and puncturing the iliac vein in Paulsen’s pelvis. Paulsen died later at Virtua Hospital.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
A probable cause statement says that Canfield told investigators that he then drove to a wooded area in Winslow Township and got rid of the bow and arrows.
Prosecutors told NBC10 that Canfield admitted to shooting Paulsen and that he led Investigators to the discarded bow.
Paulsen left behind a 5-year-old daughter.
"He loved his daughter very much and tried to do whatever he could for her," said Paulsen's father John Paulsen.
A police source described the connection between Paulsen and Canfield. According to the source, Canfield lived at the home with his girlfriend and son as well as Paulsen's ex-girlfriend and daughter. The source claimed Canfield's girlfriend is the sister of Paulsen's ex. The source also claimed the parents of the sisters lived at the home as well.
Greg Wojtkowiak, Canfield's friend, claimed Paulsen had recently been coming over to Canfield's home to start trouble. A police source confirmed that officers have been at Canfield's home in the past after Paulsen showed up. While Wojtkowiak admits that shooting someone with an arrow is a drastic step, he also claims Canfield wouldn't have done it unless he felt he had to.
"Anybody that knows that man will tell you he's just a teddy bear type guy, totally not him," said Wojtkowiak. "So he had to have been threatened in some way for him to do this."
Canfield will be arraigned at the Camden County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon.
