Union County
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Four years after slaying, Union man found guilty of murdering, dismembering girlfriend By Jenny Goldberg minutes, returned their verdict. allegedly injured herself previously by stab Staff Writer Sheila McGraw, Wyckoffs sister, told bing herself during an argument with him. Nearly four years after a Cranford Localsource on Oct. 18, that there isn't a lot He said he had placed her into the back woman’s body was found cut up in five sep the family needs to'say, other than "we all seat of his Hummer in an attempt to get arate garbage bags along the Passaic River love April and miss her so much." medical treatment for both of them. in Newark, her 47-year-old boyfriend has McGraw and her family created the Ballister said that by the time he been convicted in the brutal killing. GoFundMe page, "Justice for April Wyck returned from retrieving his car keys, Matthew Ballister was found guilty on off," in order to assist the family members, Wyckoff had, unbeknownst to him, gotten all counts including first-degree murder, who are based in Florida, in attending the out of the vehicle and hidden under the two counts of second-degree desecration of trial. SUV. When he put the vehicle in reverse, human remains, third-degree hindering She told LocalSource that it was at the he unintentionally ran over her in his apprehension and several other related trial that the family first heard Wyckoff s 9- driveway. charges in connection with the killing of 1-1 phone call, listening along with every Under cross-examination by prosecutor April Wyckoff at his Union home, accord one else in court. Scott Peterson, Ballister admitted to drag ing to a press release from the Union Coun "Brutal, is not a big enough word to ging Wyckoffs lifeless body into his garage ty Prosecutor's Office. describe what happened," McGraw said. to dismember and dispose of her remains Sentencing has been scheduled before "She was my best friend. It's just so wrong." in black garbage bags.He recalled the Judge Stuart Peim for Friday, Dec. 15. Bal Ballister was arrested on Oct. 24, 2013, sequence of events as a "nightmare-like lister faces a term of life in state prison at his home at 375 Mercer Ave., three days state" and blamed his drug-induced hyste without parole, the release said. Matthew Ballister before authorities located Wyckoffs body ria for them. The guilty verdict came Wednesday, parts in a remote industrial section of When the trial opened, the prosecution Oct. 18, only a day after prosecutors and and blunt-force pre-mortem injuries Newark off Raymond Boulevard. laid out its case, showing the court Ballis defense counsel delivered their closing inflicted on Wyckoffs head and legs." During the trial, Ballister did not dis ter's receipts, phone records and surveil arguments, finishing the trial that began The jury also asked to listen again to the pute that he had killed Wyckoff nor that he lance video filmed after Wyckoffs death. Sept. 14. 9-1-1 phone call Wyckoff made the night had dismembered and discarded her body Judge Peim noted that Ballister had During deliberations, the jury asked to she died, Oct. 22, 2013, one in which she in Newark. Instead, he insisted that her asked his attorney, Thomas Russo, to listen again to the testimony of Union told the emergency operator, "I'm going to death was accidental. obtain an expert on drug addiction to speak County Medical Examiner Junaid Shaikh, die. He's coming back." During Ballister's two-days of testimony about Ballister’s mental state at the time of in which he ruled Wyckoff s death a homi The jury members listened to the on Oct. 12 and 13, he said they both had the crime, but Russo said he had been cide after a noting the "dozens of sharp- recording through headphones and, within used drugs and described how Wyckoff had unable to do so. Linden council, NJ Transit haggle over station repairs By Rebecca Panico Brown said during the tour. “Wouldn’t you want your Staff Writer train station looking presentable?” The Linden Train Station, along NJ Transit’s The city is nearly finished with the first phase of a Northeast Corridor line, has fallen into disrepair, one streetscape project along Wood Avenue from Blancke city councilman ssays, but there is pushback from NJ Street to Penn Railroad Avenue, which includes three Transit as to who should pay for necessary fixes. blocks leading up to the station. Linden 3rd Ward Councilman Peter Brown wants Capodagli Property Company, meanwhile, also has NJ Transit to pay for what he says are major repairs. developed a new apartment complex about a block But officials from the transportation authority say the away from the station on Linden Avenue and plans to city is responsible for minor maintenance. And there build more across the street soon, Brown said. in lies the discrepancy: What constitutes a repair and According to the councilman, the city has used what is basic maintenance? grant money to fix the indoor waiting room at the sta Brown gave LocalSource a tour of the station Oct. tion, but contends that NJ Transit should pick up the 18, to point out the facility's state of disrepair. Issues tab for major repairs. include a stairway to the platform that was closed off On Monday, he collected 135 signatures on a peti due to a crumbling foundation, eroded and rusted tion calling for NJ Transit to make “necessary repairs” metal frames, missing sheets of glass for protecting to the station. ticket machines and large gaps in the pavement on a “Per an existing agreement the town is responsible ramp leading to the platform. for maintaining the station,” NJ Transit spokesman Photo by Rebecca Panico “The reason that this is such a priority to us is that Jim Smith said in an Oct. 19 statement. A stairway on one side of the Linden train station is closed we're getting all this development around town,” See LINDEN, Page 13 of due to a crumbling foundation. 2 — October 26, 2017 — Union County LocalSource Overlook becomes first hospital in state to use new stroke reduction procedure By Rebecca Panico and carries more risks of serious complica Staff Writer tions. A new preventive procedure that is Older patients, Sundick said, may not be more accessible to seniors is now offered at good candidates for the procedure that Atlantic Health System's Overlook Medical begins in the groin because the surgery Center, helping patients to reduce the risk passes along the area of the aorta, which of stroke. could be more diseased later in life. The procedure is known as transcarotid The two older procedures are currently arteiy revascularization, or TCAR, and is a offered at Overlook and are not necessarily minimally invasive operation that uses a easier, Sundick said, but may be more suit stent to open up and reduce blockage of the able for different patients based on their main artery in the neck. The surgery leaves individual needs. about a l-inch wide incision near the col However, TCAR could become standard larbone. care for all patients because of the proce “They stay in the hospital one night and dure’s low stroke risk. they go home the next day,” said Dr. Scott “We’re essentially doing something that Sundick in an Oct. 20 interview. He has we’ve done in a different way that’s safer performed the procedure seven times since and more approachable to have more it was implemented at Overlook three patients have it done,” Sundick said. months ago. The procedure is considered safer since The Summit hospital is the first in the Illustration Courtesy of Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center it temporarily reverses blood flow in the neck artery while inserting the stent, state to use this new, FDA-approved TCAR — The smaller incision on the right results from the new TCAR surgery, according to a release from the hospital. approach in stroke prevention, said while the larger incision on the left is from a more traditional method of Sundick, a vascular surgeon who has been This diverts potential plaque and blood carotid artery surgery. practicing medicine for five years. clots that could travel to the brain during Up to 3 percent of people older than 65 Center. Nearly three-quarters of all strokes One begins with an incision in a main the operation, which could cause the very have carotid artery disease, according to occur in people older than 65. arteiy located in the groin and inserts a thing the operation is trying to prevent: a the Society for Vascular Surgery. Carotid Two other stenting procedures — trans- long catheter that must pass through the stroke. artery disease is a major factor contribut femoral carotid stenting and carotid aorta to reach the neck arteiy. The other The procedure, which can be done while ing to approximately 795,000 strokes each endarterectomy — already exist, but are begins with an the incision in the neck, the patient is awake or sedated, was devel- year in the U.S., according to the Stroke more invasive. much like TCAR, but leaves a larger scar See OVERLOOK, Page 14 ^ 9m 5 5 Affordable, Professional & Reliable MAGNOLIA y Family Owned & Operated HOME REMODELING CROUP >y ' 25+ Veors Remodeling Experience Low Monthly Payment Plans / BBS A * Rated Stmments S295 Windows $lSg y '' HomeAdvIsor Screened 8t Approved Otcki/Patiat K itc h e n s $ 2 8 9 Porchet/Steps 5105 hoofing $>79 ,/ GAP Certified Roofing Installer Bathrooms 5199 Siding 5259 CertainTeed Building Solutions Specialist 0% far up to 18 Months y toox Financing Available '/ o£ Interest Programs Call Today for a Free Estimate! / Outstanding Workmanship 855-624-6655 Famlfy Owned S Operated, www,MagnoliaHomeRemodellng.com • IMS r» -tu.cn.