NJ woman believed to have died from overdose was actually killed by boyfriend, her sister: investigators

A New Jersey woman who died from a drug overdose in 2023 was actually murdered by her older sister with help from the victim’s boyfriend, investigators said.

Cape May County prosecutors said Emily Cruddas, 21, of Upper Township and her sister, Sarah Errickson, 36, of Millville, had been embroiled in an inheritance dispute when Cruddas was found dead from what appeared to be a lethal overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin.

Cruddas’ Feb. 16, 2023, death was initially listed as a suicide, but was amended within months to “undetermined.”

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The sick murder plot came to light after Cruddas’ boyfriend, Joseph Ragan, 22, of Philadelphia, allegedly confessed to state investigators about a month after her death.

Errickson gave her sister two capsules she’d prepared, containing crushed Xanax pills, knocking the girl out, Ragan told New Jersey State Police.

He said he also watched Errickson prepare 10 to 15 bags of heroin into a single hypodermic syringe. The older sister then injected the incapacitated Cruddas, the boyfriend confessed.

Ragan allegedly admitted holding his hand over his unconscious girlfriend’s mouth as Errickson administered the fatal dose.

He allegedly told police he cooperated because he feared Errickson.

Errickson and Ragan developed a plan to kill Cruddas after she was hospitalized following a miscarriage, according to prosecutors.

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The case for a murder charge got stronger last month, after a third person apparently present during Cruddas’ killing came forward with their own confession, along with a backpack containing 15 wax folds of heroin — the same heroin found on wax paper on Cruddas’ nightstand, authorities said.

Errickson had lost custody of her kids, the man said, and blamed Cruddas.

She also said Cruddas was trying to take her home — the focus of their inheritance fight.

Errickson also allegedly told other people she wanted to kill her sister, and noted a lethal dose of drugs would do the trick.

Errickson and Ragan were both charged Jan. 23 with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.