NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A statewide manhunt is underway for the lone gunman who fired a gun into the foyer of a federal judge’s home Sunday evening in North Brunswick, killing her 20-year-old son and critically injuring her husband, who answered the door.
The judge is U.S. District Judge Esther Salas. Her son, Daniel, 20, was killed and her husband, Mark Anderl, 63, remains in critical condition
The FBI, which is handling the case, said they are looking for one subject “and ask that anyone who thinks they may have relevant information call us at 1-973-792-3001.”
The man was dressed as a FedEx delivery driver, sources told NJ.com, and at 5 p.m. Sunday he arrived at the family’s home on Point of the Woods Drive, which is in the Hidden Lakes development in North Brunswick. Salas’ husband answered the door, was shot multiple times and the couple’s son ran down the stairs to help him; he was shot as well, according to the report.
Salas was in the basement and uninjured in the attack, according to media reports.
“The last thing I heard is that the father ran for the door, Daniel ran down the stairs to get him and I would believe that, that he would run down to help his father,” neighbor Marion Costanza told Patch. She who lives three doors down from the Salas family in Hidden Lakes. “They a very-close knit. That’s the kind of family there were. He wanted to lawyer just like his parents — he was clerking in different law offices.”
Anderl served as an assistant prosecutor in Essex County and now is prominent criminal defense attorney. Salas is the Newark-based federal judge who presided over the convictions of Real Housewives stars Joe and Teresa Giudice. She got her start working as a public defender, said Costanza.
“Daniel was the love of their life, he was their only child, 20 years old,” she said. “Daniel played baseball for St. Joe’s (Catholic high school) in Metuchen and he was a very big baseball fan. Just a good, loving, caring family. I never heard one thing negative about any of them.”
St. Joseph’s released a statement confirming Daniel’s death, saying that he graduated in 2018, writing: “It is with utmost sadness that we inform you that Dan Anderl ’18 was taken from us last night. Dan was a true friend, a proud Falcon, and an overall wonderful human being. He will be truly missed. We pray for Dan’s family and friends during this unbelievably difficult time — please know, we are mourning with you.”
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