7 Indicted in Connection to April Kauffman’s Murder, Conspiracy, Racketeering

Seven people were indicted Tuesday in connection to the murder of April Kauffman as well as on conspiracy and racketeering charges.

The following individuals have been indicted on the following charges, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office:

• Ferdinand Augello, 61, Petersburg, NJ - Charged with 1st degree Leader of a Drug Trafficking Network, 1st degree Racketeering, Murder (April Kauffman), Attempted Murder (James Kauffman), Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Joseph Mulholland, 52, Villas, NJ - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Beverly Augello, 47, Summerland Keys, FL - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Glenn Seeler, 37, Sanford, NC - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Paul Pagano, 61, Egg Harbor Township, NJ - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Tabitha Chapman, 35, Absecon, NJ - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Cheryl Pizza, 36, Murrells Inlet, SC - Charged with 1st degree Racketeering, Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance

In a press release, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said,

Tuesday, an Atlantic County Grand Jury took a critical step towards rendering justice to April Kauffman and her family. Ferdinand Augello was indicted for the murder of April Kauffman, racketeering and drug charges. This office looks forward to presenting the facts of this case to a jury for them to determine culpability for this heinous scheme.

The investigation and arrests were the result of a joint operation between the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI, several local police departments, and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.

Local radio talk show host April Kauffman was found shot to death in her Linwood home in May, 2012. Five years later, investigators cracked the long-unsolved mystery, charging her husband with paying a hit man more than $20,000 to kill his wife. Dr. James Kauffman, a 68-year-old doctor who remained under a cloud of suspicion for years, was one of eight people charged in connection to his wife's homicide. According to Tyner, Kauffman spent a year plotting his wife's demise after she threatened to divorce him and expose his illegal drug practice involving the Pagan Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. The gunman who pulled the trigger on April Kauffman died of a drug overdose a year after the slaying. Dr. James Kauffman committed suicide while in jail on January 26th of this year.

With previous reporting from Townsquare Media's Sergio Bichao.