A New Jersey pharmaceutical executive was killed in an attempted robbery when he was followed home after winning big at a Pennsylvania casino, police say.
Sree Ranga Aravapalli, a 54-year-old CEO of Aurex Labs in East Windsor according to the New York Post, was spotted by 27-year-old Jekai Reid-John after he cashed out $10,000 of winnings Tuesday at Parx Casino. The man then drove and followed Aravapalli in his car to Plainsboro, NJ, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, before police responded to a report of shots fired around 3:30 a.m.
Aravapalli was brought to a local hospital with several gunshot wounds and pronounced dead in what investigators are calling an attempted robbery at his home. Reid-John was charged with one count of first-degree murder in Montgomery County, Pa. Tuesday after authorities shared with NBC 4 that a local farmstead camera caught his car trailing behind Aravapalli.
He is currently being detained in Pennsylvania pending an extradition hearing, and authorities share that he’ll be at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center when sent to Jersey, according to Post.
“We are deeply saddened by the report that earlier this week a customer of Parx Casino was the victim of a homicide at his home after returning from a visit to the casino,” casino CEO Eric Hausler said in a statement. “We have learned that law enforcement officials have arrested a suspect who followed the victim home from the casino that night.”
According to Hausler, Parx Casino has been cooperating fully with local and state law enforcement agencies in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim at this incredibly difficult time.”
Police Chief Frederick Tavener is looking to reassure the local community that “our officers and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office are conducting a thorough and systematic investigation into this matter,” according to a Facebook statement.
“We will continue to conduct proactive and vigilant patrols throughout the Township and will update the community with the outcome of the investigation, when appropriate.”
