Background: News footage of the Millville, N.J. residence where the alleged altercation took place (WPVI). Inset (left): Eric Hannah (Cumberland County Jail). Inset (right): Louis “Gus” Serbeck (Rone Funeral Service).
A New Jersey man who was accused of beating his longtime friend to death along with his teenage son has been indicted on charges of aggravated manslaughter.
Eric Hannah, 55, originally faced charges of first-degree murder in connection with the beating death of 54-year-old Louis “Gus” Serbeck in April. Hannah”s 17-year-old son was also charged.
As Law&Crime previously reported, Hannah and his son are accused of beating Serbeck to death after Serbeck’s daughter accused Hannah’s son of assault.
The two teenagers had been involved with each other, and the two fathers were longtime friends.
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Local news outlet NJ.com reported that during a hearing in May, Cumberland County Assistant Prosecutor Cathryn Wilson stated that the teenagers were in “some kind of relationship” leading up to April 20. According to a press release from the prosecutor’s office at the time, Serbeck’s daughter told her father that Hannah’s son — who was identified by his initials J.H. — had assaulted her while she was at the Hannah family home on April 19.
In court, Wilson said that Serbeck and his daughter went to the Hannah residence to confront them. At the door, they were met by J.H. as the daughter began recording on her cellphone. Wilson told the court, “The juvenile defendant came out and immediately threw punches at the victim.”
Wilson said that J.H. then “retrieved some kind of bat, which is seen on the cellphone video that was taken by the defendant’s daughter. And he was attacking the victim with the bat.” The video also reportedly showed Serbeck attacking J.H. while the teenager continued his alleged attack with the bat.
At some point, Hannah enters the scene holding a large flashlight, according to what Serbeck’s daughter told police at the time. Hannah’s alleged attack on Serbeck with the flashlight was not caught on camera, but a “noticeable mark” was left on Serbeck’s head that matched the flashlight, according to police and prosecutors.
J.H. was also accused of striking Serbeck’s daughter during the April 20 altercation, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Serbeck and his daughter attempted to leave, and J.H. allegedly started hitting Serbeck’s car with a hammer. It was then that Serbeck reportedly said he was having trouble breathing and subsequently collapsed. He died on the way to the hospital.
Hannah’s defense attorney, William Popjoy, told the court that his client was not involved in the fatal fight and had been trying to de-escalate the situation. He stated that Hannah never struck Serbeck, contradicting statements made by Serbeck’s daughter.
Hannah was indicted on charges of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. He remains behind bars at Cumberland County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8 for his post-indictment arraignment.
J.H. is in custody at a juvenile facility and charged with homicide and weapons offenses as well as aggravated assault in connection with the alleged attack on Serbeck’s daughter. Prosecutors are still considering whether to charge him as an adult.
