An Egg Harbor City man was indicted today for murder and arson in connection with the 2014 killing in Egg Harbor City of the mother and child with whom he cohabited. Joseph F. Palmer 3rd, 39, of 214 Washington Avenue, Egg Harbor City was indicted for two counts of murder—crimes of the 1st degree, one count of aggravated arson—a 2nd degree crime, and two 3 rd degree counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (a knife, and a hammer or other blunt force instrument), for the murders of Michelle (Heist) Pabst, 38, and her son Gavin Pabst, age 7, both of whom lived with Palmer. Due to statutory aggravating factors delineated in the indictment, a conviction for each of the two murder indictments carries a potential sentence of life without eligibility for parole in a maximum security New Jersey State prison.
