Following Augello’s arraignment, Tyner says the “case will continue to proceed” following the January death of James Kauffman. pic.twitter.com/V61WT2iXxC
— Erin Serpico (@ACPressSerpico) April 19, 2018
MAYS LANDING — The only man left alive who is charged with murder in the 2012 killing of April Kauffman pleaded not guilty Thursday morning during his arraignment in Atlantic County Superior Court.
Ferdinand "Freddy" Augello, alleged Pagans motorcycle gang leader, is accused of hiring a hitman to kill April — a move prosecutors say was motivated by her now-deceased husband Dr. James Kauffman's desire to hide an opioid drug ring he ran through his medical practice with Augello.
Three additional co-defendants in the case charged with racketeering, distribution of drugs and conspiracy to distribute drugs as part of the drug ring — Joseph Mulholland, 52, of the Villas section of Lower Township; Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon; and Glenn Seeler, 37, of Sanford, North Carolina — pleaded not guilty after their attorneys waived the formal reading of the indictments.
Photos from the April Kauffman murder case
augello
Ferdinand Augello, right, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder in the killing of April Kauffman, attempted murder of James Kauffman and leading a drug trafficking network out of James Kauffman’s medical practice. Jury selection in his trial begins Sept. 11.
Media cameras set up for Dr. James Kauffman first court appearance charged in murder for hire of wife April, and drug ring conspiracy with Pagan outlaw motorcycle gang at Atlantic County Criminal Court Thursday Jan 11, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Ferdinand Augello, left, Paul Pagano and Tabitha Chapman make their first court appearances via video Thursday before Judge Bernard DeLury in the April Kauffman murder-for-hire case. Eight people were charged total, most of them members or associates of the Pagans motorcycle gang.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, speaks to the media after Kauffman's first court appearance charged in murder for hire of wife April, and drug ring conspiracy with Pagan outlaw motorcycle gang at Atlantic County Criminal Court Thursday Jan 11, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Ferdinand Augello, left Paul Pagano right and Tabitha Chapman along with Dr. James Kauffman make their first court appearance charged in murder for hire of wife April, and drug ring conspiracy with Pagan outlaw motorcycle gang at Atlantic County Criminal Court Thursday Jan 11, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Dr. James Kauffman make his first court appearance charged in murder for hire of wife April, and drug ring conspiracy with Pagan outlaw motorcycle gang at Atlantic County Criminal Court Thursday Jan 11, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Court testing feed for Augello, Pagano and Chapman
KAUFFMAN Dr. James Kauffman makes his first court appearance by video Thursday in Atlantic County Superior Court to face murder and racketeering charges in connection with the 2012 killing of his wife, April, and a drug ring conspiracy with the Pagan motorcycle gang. He appeared via video from a Hudson County jail, where Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said he was moved for his own safety.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner says the break in the 5-year-old unsolved murder of April Kauffman was the result of ‘just a lot of hard work.’
Dr. James Kauffman, 68, appears via video in Atlantic County Criminal Court for his first appearance regarding murder and racketeering charges in connection to the 2012 murder of his wife April Kauffman.
Dr. James Kauffman, 68, appears via video in Atlantic County Criminal Court for his first appearance regarding murder and racketeering charges in connection to the 2012 murder of his wife April Kauffman.
The former home of Francis Mulholland, who Atlantic County Prosecutors said Wednesday was hired to kill April Kauffman in her home in 2012, is under construction at the 100 block of West Jacksonville Avenue in Lower Township. Wednesday, January 10
Kim Pack, daughter of murder victim April Kauffman, talks to the media at her attorney's office after her stepfather, Dr. James Kauffman, was charged in the murder, Jan. 9, 2018.
Kim Pack, daughter of murder victim April Kauffman, talks to the media at her attorney’s office after her stepfather, Dr. James Kauffman, was charged in the murder, Jan. 9, 2018.
Kim Pack, daughter of murder victim April Kauffman, talks to the media at her attorney’s office after her stepfather, Dr. James Kauffman, was charged in the murder, Jan. 9, 2018.
Kim Pack, daughter of murder victim April Kauffman, talks to the media Tuesday at her attorney’s office in Egg Harbor Township.
Kim Pack, daughter of murder victim April Kauffman, talks to the media at her attorney's office after her stepfather, Dr. James Kauffman, was charged in the murder, Jan. 9, 2018.
The Philadelphia condominium complex, Symphony House, where Dr. James Kauffman owns a home with his wife, Carol Weintraub. The condominium was included as part of a search warrant executed over the summer at Kauffman's Egg Harbor Township medical practice, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.
James Kauffman, 68 Linwood, NJ. Atlantic County prosecutor Damon G Tyner announced in a press conference, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as charger of conspiracy and racketeering. Tuesday Jan 9, 2017. (provided Atlantic County Prosecutor)
CHAPMAN Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon, was charged with second degree racketeering.
PIZZA Cheryl Pizza, 36, of Murrells Inlet, S.C., was charged with second degree racketeering.
Ferdinand Augello, 61, of Petersburg, N.J., was charged with first degree leader of racketeering, first degree murder of April Kauffman, conspiracy to commit murder of James Kauffman and first degree of racketeering.
Glenn Seeler, 37, of Sanford, N.C., was charged with first degree racketeering.
Joseph Mulholland, 52, of Villas, was charged with first degree racketeering.
Paul Pagano, 61, of Egg Harbor Township, was charged with second degree racketeering.
B. Augello Beverly Augello, 47, of Summerland Keys, FL., was charged with first degree racketeering.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner is joined by law enforcement officials including James Scoppa Jr., back left, a detective at the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and a lead investigator in the case. Scoppa is named as a witness for the prosecution.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, joined by law enforcement officials, hold a press conference, regarding James Kauffman, had ordered his wife killed to protect an illegal drug business Tuesday Jan 9, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Atlantic County prosecutor Damon G Tyner announced in a press conference, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as charger of conspiracy and racketeering. Tuesday Jan 9, 2017. (Dale Gerhard / Press of Atlantic City)
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G Tyner holds a press conference to announce charges in the murder of April Kauffman. Directly behind Tyner is Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy who has been seeing the case through the courts.
Atlantic County prosecutor Damon G Tyner announced in a press conference, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as charger of conspiracy and racketeering. A chart shows the connections of the individuals involved. Tuesday Jan 9, 2017. (Dale Gerhard / Press of Atlantic City)
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, left joined by law enforcement officials, hold a press conference, regarding James Kauffman, had ordered his wife killed to protect an illegal drug business Tuesday Jan 9, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Atlantic County prosecutor Damon G Tyner announced in a press conference, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as charger of conspiracy and racketeering. Tuesday Jan 9, 2017. (Dale Gerhard / Press of Atlantic City)
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, middle joined by law enforcement officials, hold a press conference, regarding James Kauffman, had ordered his wife killed to protect an illegal drug business Tuesday Jan 9, 2018. (The Press of Atlantic City / Edward Lea Staff Photographer)
Atlantic County prosecutor Damon G Tyner announced in a press conference, eight individuals have been charged in connection to the murder of April Kauffman, as well as charger of conspiracy and racketeering. Tuesday Jan 9, 2017. (Dale Gerhard / Press of Atlantic City)
‘For the past 5½ years since April Kauffman was found shot to death inside her home in Linwood, New Jersey, there has been little movement in this case and no arrests have been made in connection with the murder. That is, until today,’ Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said Tuesday at his office in announcing charges in the 2012 death of Kauffman.
On Tuesday evening, Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced that Dr. Kauffman had ordered his wife killed to protect an illegal drug business. Kauffman solicited another man to kill April.
Ferdinand Augello, left, with public defenders Mary Linehan and Omar Aguilar, pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder in the killing of April Kauffman, the attempted murder of James Kauffman and leading a drug ring out of James Kauffman’s medical practice in front of Judge Bernard DeLury.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner talks with Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy during a recess in court before the arraignment of Ferdinand Augello. Thursday, April 19
Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon, alongside attorney James Grimley, was a co-defendant in the case, also charged with racketeering, who took a plea deal last month, as well. Chapman’s mom and Freddy Augello used to date, according to both Augello and Chapman’s attorney James Grimley.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy represents the state in the cases of Ferdinand Augello, Glenn Seeler, Joseph Mulholland and Tabitha Capman in Atlantic County Criminal Court on Thursday morning. Thursday, April 19
Kim Pack, daughter of April Kauffman, observes in Judge Bernard DeLury’s courtroom Thursday during the arraignments of Ferdinand Augello and three other associates of James Kauffman’s alleged deadly drug ring.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner
MULHOLLAND Joseph Mulholland, alongside attorney Ed Weinstock, pleaded not guilty to first degree racketeering in front of Judge Bernard DeLury in Atlantic County Criminal Court on Thursday morning. Thursday, April 19
Ferdinand Augello pleaded not guilty in April to charges of murder in the killing of April Kauffman, attempted murder of James Kauffman and leading a drug trafficking network out of James Kauffman’s medical practice.
Glenn Seeler, 38, of Sanford, North Carolina, a co-defendant who took a plea deal in July, is an alleged Pagans member nicknamed “Slasher.” The June 2017 search warrant for Kauffman’s medical practice states that a confidential informant told police shortly after April’s death in 2012 that Seeler had told the informant that a Linwood doctor was supplying “dirty scripts” and wanted to hire someone to kill his wife. Seeler is shown in April with attorney Timothy Reilly, who is also named as a witness.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner speaks to the media after the arraignments of four alleged associates of James Kauffman. Thursday, April 19
Judge Bernard DeLury
Joseph Mulholland, 52, of Villas, alongside attorney Ed Weinstock, was a co-defendant in the case and the first to take a plea agreement in June. In a transcript of the grand jury hearing that led to indictments against Augello and the others, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Detective James Scoppa Jr. said Joseph Mulholland admitted to picking up alleged hitman Francis Mulholland and driving him to the Kauffman residence. Weinstock was named as a witness for the defense in the trial.
Tabitha Chapman, alongside attorney James Grimley, pled not guilty to racketeering in front of Judge Bernard DeLury in Atlantic County Criminal Court on Thursday morning. Thursday, April 19
Glenn Seeler pled not guilty to racketeering in front of Judge Bernard DeLury in Atlantic County Criminal Court on Thursday morning. Thursday, April 19