Heather Barbera

MAYS LANDING – The daughter and granddaughter of two homicide victims has been sentenced for the July 8, 2019, killings, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.

This afternoon, Heather Barbera, 43, of Ventnor City was sentenced before Presiding Judge Bernard DeLury to New Jersey state prison with an aggregate sentence of 42 years, with 40 years and 2 months without parole.

“This tragic incident illustrates that domestic violence and the disease of addiction impacts so many families in all of our communities,” Tyner said. “The defendant single-handedly altered the course of her entire family by taking the lives of her mother and grandmother. As a result she’ll have the next 40-plus years to think about her actions.”

In October, Barbera pleaded guilty to the following charges:

  • Amended count of first degree aggravated manslaughter in the death of her mother Michelle Gordon, 67
  • first degree murder of her grandmother, Elaine Rosen, 87.

Elaine Rosen, 87, and her daughter Michelle Gordon, 67, were found dead at approximately 10:25 a.m., Sunday, July 8, 2018 inside a residence at 4800 Boardwalk, Ventnor City.

The cause of death for Rosen and Gordon, is multiple blunt impact injuries and the manner of death is homicide.

Through the course of an investigation it was learned that Barbera took a bus to New York City after committing the murders and she was identified by NYPD officers on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at the Midtown Manhattan Port Authority located at 42nd Street and she was taken into custody. Before her extradition to New Jersey, Barbera was in custody at the Rose M. Singer Center, a women’s facility on Rikers Island.

This is a joint investigation between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Ventnor City Police Department.

Assistant Prosecutor Allison Eiselen represents the state in the matter.

Categories: Ventnor

Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.