Friends Fund Memorial for Daughter in New Jersey Murder-Suicide

Friends of Sloane Grodnick, 24, have established a memorial fund in her name following her death alongside her parents, David, 61, and Lora, 62, in their Montgomery Township, New Jersey home. The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office has ruled the deaths a murder-suicide, with David Grodnick believed to have killed his wife and daughter before taking his own life.

Friends Rally to Honor Sloane Grodnick

In the wake of the tragedy, Grodnick's friends launched a GoFundMe campaign to create a living legacy tree and a personalized plaque. The fundraiser rapidly met its $3,500 goal within 24 hours. Her friends described Sloane as "silly, she was funny, and she deserved so much more."

They recalled their shared childhood experiences, noting, "We spent countless days swimming, coloring, listening to music, and talking about everything happening in each of our lives, from the mundane to the exciting." The memorial is planned for Grounds For Sculpture, a park in New Jersey known for its art installations.

"This way, her memory will be surrounded by what she loved most, and those that loved her will have a place to visit and keep her memory alive," her friends wrote in an update on the fundraiser, expressing disbelief at the outpouring of support.

Friends indicated that Sloane died on September 30, though prosecutors have not officially confirmed the dates of death for the family. Sloane was pursuing a master's degree at the Rhode Island School of Design and had also studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design, with a passion for art.

Discovery and Investigation

Authorities began investigating the Grodnick residence after failing to make contact with the family for a wellness check. Officers discovered Sloane and her mother, Lora, in separate bedrooms, both having sustained gunshot wounds to the head, which were ruled homicides. David Grodnick was also found deceased from a gunshot wound to the head, with the manner ruled a suicide.

A neighbor, Mian Helaly, 73, told the New York Post that he had noticed the family's lawn and landscaping had become neglected in recent months, which he found unusual for the meticulously maintained property. He suggested this change indicated that "something was not right" and "not going their way."

David Grodnick was a senior vice president at Land Services USA and had previously spent two decades at First American Title. He held degrees from the University of Miami and McDaniel College. The family were members of the exclusive Bedens Brook Country Club in Skillman.