New Jersey — A New Jersey man was allegedly beaten to death while protecting his teenage daughter by another father and his son, all of whom were once family friends.
The Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office issued a press release announcing criminal charges against 55-year-old Eric Hannah and his 17-year-old son, identified only by his initials, J.H. According to prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, the father-son duo is facing homicide charges in connection with the beating death of Louis “Gus” Serbeck, 54, following a physical altercation on Sunday.
Prosecutors claim that Serbeck and his teenage daughter went to Hannah’s house to confront Hannah and J.H. about an alleged assault on Serbeck’s daughter. By the end of the day, Serbeck had died.
According to the press release, J.H. allegedly assaulted Serbeck’s daughter on Saturday, prompting Serbeck to travel to Hannah’s home on Easter Sunday. Prosecutors said the altercation quickly became physical when Serbeck was met at the front door by J.H.
According to prosecutors, J.H. suffered facial injuries before allegedly hitting Serbeck “several times” in the head with a metal baseball bat. Hannah then allegedly joined the fight, striking Serbeck in the back of the head with a flashlight. Serbeck’s daughter was also allegedly struck in the head by J.H.
First responders arrived at the scene to transport Serbeck to a nearby hospital, but he died while in the ambulance.
The father and son were both arrested and detained on the same day. Hannah faces homicide, aggravated assault, conspiracy, and weapons charges and is being held without bond at Cumberland County Jail. J.H. was charged with homicide and weapons and was being held in a juvenile detention facility, according to WPVI, a Philadelphia-based ABC affiliate. It was not yet clear whether he would be tried as an adult.
J.H. was also charged with aggravated assault in relation to the previous report made by Serbeck’s daughter.
WPVI spoke with Serbeck’s younger brother, Christopher Serbeck, who said both families were once close friends. He told the station Hannah was a “lifelong friend of the family.” He attended school with my oldest brother. We’ve known him all our lives. There were no expectations that something like this would happen.
