http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/stillwater_stabbing_victim_acc.html
STILLWATER — As murder victim Dennis Pegg was laid to rest at St.
Joseph’s cemetery in Newton today, across town a defense lawyer for
one of the accused filed an affidavit seeking to preserve Pegg’s
belongings — including an alleged box of child pornography.
The request, submitted by attorney Daniel Perez, specifically cited a
box containing "numerous Polaroid photographs of nude children and/or
children involved in sexual acts."
Clark Fredericks, 46, has been charged with first-degree murder and
two of his relatives claim he was molested by Pegg years ago when he
was a Boy Scout and Pegg a troop leader. Robert Reynolds, 47, friend
of Fredericks, has been charged with helping him kill Pegg and hiding
evidence.
Perez’s request, according to the affidavit, was based on information
provided to police after Pegg’s death by an unnamed individual (called
"John Doe 1" in the legal notice), who says he, too, was molested by
Pegg when he was a child.
Police searched Pegg’s Stillwater home for the box, but according to
the affidavit it was not found. However, Perez added in the document,
he was told "other evidence involving children was found pursuant to
the search."
Pegg, 68, was murdered last week in his home. Fredericks allegedly
confessed to the crime when he was arrested hours later, telling
authorities Pegg "got what was coming to him," according to an arrest
affidavit.
But there is one other box of interest — a safe deposit box Pegg kept
in a local bank.
The day before Pegg’s funeral, Edward V. Gannon of the Chancery
Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey ordered a hearing to take
place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday "to determine the disposition of letters
found in (Pegg’s) safe deposit box at Lakeland Bank in Stillwater, New
Jersey, to parties whose names appear on the envelopes."
Today, Gregory Mueller, First Assistant Sussex County Prosecutor filed
a notice with the judge to permit him to inspect the contents of that
safety deposit box. He also confirmed that some of the information
sought in Perez’s affidavit comes from the prosecutor’s office
investigation.
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired Sussex
County corrections officer
Enlarge Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger Blood spatters cover the front
step of the home of former Sussex County corrections officer Dennis
Pegg, 68, in Stillwater, N.J., on Friday, June 15. Pegg was killed on
Tuesday in his home. (Frances Micklow / The Star-Ledger) Suspect's
family says years of anger led to attack on retired Sussex County
corrections officer gallery (7 photos)
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired
Sussex County corrections officer
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired
Sussex County corrections officer
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired
Sussex County corrections officer
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired
Sussex County corrections officer
Suspect's family says years of anger led to attack on retired
Sussex County corrections officer
"We’re not opposing the application," he said of Perez’s request.
Perez was told by William Haggerty, the attorney who prepared Pegg’s
will, that 14 letters were found in the Lakeland Bank box and were
given to the County Surrogate who then turned them over to Judge
Gannon.
The Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office also filed notice asking the
court to freeze the contents of the box for a judge to review. Gannon
has scheduled a hearing for next Thursday to discuss how to handle
those contents.
The co-executors of Pegg’s estate, listed on the document as Joshua
Orinowski and Richard Alcaro, are not blood relatives of the murdered
man, according to Haggerty. Today he said he could not remember when
the will was signed, but it was not recently. Haggerty also said he
knew nothing about a missing box of Polaroids in Pegg’s basement.
"The will is scheduled for probate on Monday," he said. "It will be
public record then."
Attempts to reach the two executors were unsuccessful. Earlier in the
day, however, they were part of a crowd of about 100-150 mourners at
Pegg’s funeral at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Newton. Alcara
eulogized Pegg, saying he’d known "Denny" for 20 years and that his
friend had "lived a life of service and honor."
"To his friends he gave unwavering loyalty," he said, pausing
frequently to compose himself. "He never judged you by the size of
your bank account or the number of plaques on your wall. He judged you
by what was in your heart and soul."
Orinowski, too, offered a eulogy and spoke about meeting Pegg for the
first time atop Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest when Orinowski
was still "a lost soul." From that moment on, he said, Pegg always
"went out of his way" to help him.
John Broda, Pegg’s nephew, was the last to speak. He held a personal
note written by Pegg, who asked that it be read at his funeral. In the
letter Pegg thanked his relatives, friends and colleagues for "just
being in my life."
He then wrote, "Since I never married ... You have become my family. I
tried to be the very best friend I could, often failing. But know that
I always tried to do the right thing. Please forgive me for my
failings and shortcomings ... I’ve certainly forgiven yours a long
time ago."