Cherry Hill, New Jersey – Fred Neulander, the former rabbi convicted in a notorious 1994 murder-for-hire plot on his wife, has passed away in prison at the age of 82, according to officials. Neulander was found unresponsive in his cell at New Jersey State Prison’s infirmary unit before being pronounced dead at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton.
Neulander, the founding rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom synagogue in Cherry Hill, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in 2003 after being convicted of hiring hitmen to kill his wife, Carol Neulander. The murder, orchestrated to appear as a robbery turned violent, shocked the community in November 1994. The hitmen, Len Jenoff and Paul Daniels, received $30,000 for carrying out the crime.
Despite multiple attempts to appeal his conviction, Neulander’s efforts were denied by the New Jersey Appellate Court and the state Supreme Court in 2012 and 2016, respectively. The prosecution maintained that Neulander ordered his wife’s murder to continue an extramarital affair he was having.
Jenoff and Daniels have since been released from prison after serving 23-year terms for their roles in the murder. Neulander’s case brought attention to the complexities of the criminal justice system and the impact of high-profile cases on communities.
The closure of Congregation M’kor Shalom in 2022 marked the end of an era for the community that had been rocked by the shocking events surrounding Neulander’s conviction. Despite the passage of time, the memory of the murder-for-hire plot continues to linger in the minds of those affected by the tragic loss of Carol Neulander.
The circumstances surrounding Neulander’s death and the legacy of the case serve as a reminder of the enduring impact of crime on individuals and communities. As details of his passing emerge, the Cherry Hill community reflects on a chapter in its history that forever changed the lives of those involved.