A newly released autopsy report has shed additional light on the killing of a new mother who was found fatally stabbed inside her home in an affluent New Jersey community, deepening the mystery surrounding the case.
Investigators say Brooke Hanlon, 35, was killed at her home on Pottersville Road in Chester, New Jersey. She is survived by her 1-year-old daughter. Her husband, Conor Hanlon, has publicly denied any role in her death.
Morris County Medical Examiner Dr. Di Wang performed the autopsy on June 7, one day after Hanlon was discovered dead. The examination identified “sharp force injuries” as the cause of death.
Brooke Hanlon was found stabbed to death inside her Morris County, New Jersey, home. Police have yet to name a possible suspect. (LinkedIn, Facebook/Meta)
The report, which is heavily redacted, states that representatives of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Chester Police Department were “present” during the examination.
Brooke Hanlon’s former best friend and Boston roommate, Jennifer Payne, remembers the relationship between the slain New Jersey therapist and her husband, Conor Hanlon. (Jessica Payne)
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has not announced any arrests or identified a person of interest as the investigation continues.
Jennifer Payne, who met Hanlon in graduate school and once shared a home with her, previously told News Media, “Honestly, it’s been confusing, heartbreaking and incredibly frustrating,” as investigators have provided few updates.
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Payne also gave News Media exclusive photographs showing the two friends during their years in Boston and afterward.
Exterior view of the home where the murdered body of Brooke Hanlon was found in early June with multiple stab wounds to the torso, Chester Township, N.J., Monday, July 6, 2026. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for News Media)
According to a 911 call obtained by News Media, Hanlon’s husband was the first to find her unresponsive. During the distressed call, he told the operator there was “a laceration” on his wife’s body while being instructed to perform CPR.
Conor Hanlon leaves a residence in Massachusetts on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Hanlon is the widower of Brooke Hanlon, who was found dead in their home in New Jersey in June. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for News Media)
Months after the killing, neighbors on Pottersville Road told News Media that Hanlon had been regularly returning to the Chester property and staying there overnight. He had previously been dividing his time between New Jersey and the Boston area, where his family lives.
Authorities have not said whether investigators found or recovered a weapon at the home.
A neighbor snapped a photo of the white Volvo SUV belonging to Conor Hanlon seen parked outside his Chester, New Jersey home on August 14. (News Media)
Hanlon’s family previously told News Media, “We have full and unwavering confidence in the investigative efforts of law enforcement.”