ENGLISHTOWN, N.J., Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A police officer in New Jersey wishes his state still had a death penalty for whoever killed his friend, Lakewood officer Christopher Matlosz.
"Anyone who kills a cop, especially in the fashion this individual did, doesn't deserve a life behind bars," Sgt. Peter Cooke, officer-in-charge of the Englishtown Police Department, told the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press Sunday.
Matlosz, who served in Englishtown for almost two years before joining the Lakewood force in 2006, was shot and killed while on duty Friday afternoon, authorities say.
Jahmell Crockam, 19, who authorities charge shot Matlosz three times, execution-style, was arrested about 6:30 a.m. Sunday in Camden.
"It's great they caught him,'' said Englishtown Fire Chief Peter Hall. "Anything else, you're not going to be able to print.''
"The police department, of course, is relieved this [alleged] murderer has been captured,'' Cooke said. "We hope justice is served swiftly.''
Jason Decker, another firefighter, called Matlosz a "great guy" with a "great heart.''
New Jersey abolished its death penalty, which it had not used in decades, in December 2007.
