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Vigil of hope held for stricken rescue squad training director

Fred Baker remembered at BaysideCorrections officer slain 13 years ago by inmate

Photo special to The News

TAMMY TISA

FRED BAKER

Dukes enters guilty plea

Sentenced to 14 years

By Anthony Bellanoabellano@sjnewsco.com

CAMDEN — Two days after being diagnosed with breast cancer, and one day after her fellow employees at Mill-ville Rescue Squad held a candlelight vigil outside Cooper University Hospital where she was being treated, Tammy Tisa was placed on life support Friday, according to a close family friend.

Tisa was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer on Wednesday after being admitted to the hospital on Monday. Metastatic, also known as Stage IV, describes the stage in which the cancer has spread to other organs of the body, usually the lungs, liver, bone or brain.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are two ways of treating the disease, but Tisa wasn’t strong enough to handle either of these treatments, according to a report that aired Thursday night on NBC 10 News.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone

with that kind of passion,” Millville Res-cue Squad Chief John Redden said. “She loves teaching, and her passion is rub-bing off on her students.”

Tisa has worked with the Millville Res-cue Squad for 10 years, and is a training director with the group. She is also the Emergency Medical Service coordinator for Cumberland County, and an assis-tant chief for Lawrence Township EMS.

Redden and several officers were in California this week, but he was in touch with Tisa’s friends and family all week. He was in direct communication with Tisa earlier in the week, before she was diagnosed.

On Thursday night, friends and sev-eral staff members from the Millville Rescue Squad gathered a convoy and drove to the hospital in Camden from Millville in a show of support for their comrade.

“I’m not surprised one bit,” Redden said of his department’s vigil. “We’ve

(See TISA, Page A-9)

By Jean Jonesjeanjones@fast.net

MAURICE RIVER TWP. — The annual memo-rial service for corrections offi-cer Fred Baker — the 13th since his death at the hands of an inmate while on duty — was held Friday morning at Bayside State Prison.

There always is a degree of formal-ity at these ser-vices, but also a closeness between the Baker family, which has grown over the years, prison adminis-tration and Bak-er’s extended family of fellow corrections officers.

A large contingent of custody staff stood in formation, coming to attention as the whistle at the adjacent prison farm sounded at 7:55 and an honor guard raised, then lowered to half staff, the American flag in front of the “Front House” on top of the hill in front of the prison complex.

“Taps” was played and a bell was rung 13 times, once for each year since Baker’s death.

A pipe and drum corps played “Amazing Grace,” beginning with one chorus by a lone bagpipe, joined by the rest of the Pipe and Drum Brigade

(See BAKER, Page A-9)

Bridgeton Invitational first pitch

By Jason Ladayjladay@sjnewsco.com

BRIDGETON — A Bridgeton man was sen-tenced to 14 years in state prison Friday as a result of a guilty plea to a charge of aggravated manslaughter.

Edward Dukes, 28, was charged in the death of 77-year-old Edward Ellison on Sept. 25, 2004, on South Avenue, in Bridgeton.

The sentence, imposed by Superior Court Judge David Krell, requires Dukes to serve 85 percent of that sentence before becoming eli-gible for parole. In addition, he will be on parole for a period of five years once released.

According to officials, Ellison was in town to attend a wedding when he was assaulted in front of the South Avenue residence of a fam-ily friend after returning home from the drug store.

Dukes confronted Ellison, went into a rage and struck him numerous times with a shovel. He also used the shovel to break out the win-dows in the front of the residence. Dukes was apprehended a short time later near his home.

Dukes raised the defenses of intoxication and diminished capacity.

“After comprehensive legal review and con-sultation with Mr. Ellison’s family, we agreed to allow the defendant to enter a guilty plea to aggravated manslaughter,” said Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae in a released statement.

Dukes also entered pleas to one count of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, for wielding a shovel, and one count of fourth degree criminal mischief for the damage

(See PLEA, Page A-9)

By Sean C. McCullensmccullen@sjnewsco.com

BRIDGETON — At the end of a month that has included more car burglaries than city officials would ever like to see, a Manheim Avenue man who refused to become just another victim helped police nab two alleged car burglars.

Police say the 47-year-old man, whom they did not iden-tify, ran down one of the alleged burglars after a guest at his home alerted him to the burglary.

The guest was outside smoking a cigarette at about 2:20 a.m. when 24-year-old Phillip J. Davis and 22-year-old Tif-fany Randall, both of East Avenue, entered the Ford van

parked at the victim’s 400-block home, Bridgeton Police Chief Mark Ott said.

The victim chased down Randall near his home after being alerted to the burglary.

Davis was arrested at his home about an hour later, Ott said.

Davis and Randall were charged with burglary and con-spiracy. Davis was lodged in Cumberland County Jail on $25,000 bail, Randall on $10,000 bail.

There had been 27 vehicle burglaries reported to police in July through about 3 p.m. Friday, including three more after the Manheim Avenue man detained Randall, Ott said.

The burglaries have occurred all over the city.

Bridgeton man assists in capture of car burglarsNot another victim

From staff reportsMILLVILLE — Two Port Norris men

were arrested early Friday while in the process of committing a burglary at the Millville Iron Works, police said.

Both were later released pending court, and no damage was done to the building.

Mark Chamberlain, 48, and Manuel

Quinones, 29, were both apprehended when Millville police were called to the Iron Works on a report of a burglary.

Upon arrival at the building, on South Sixth Street, the reporting officer peered in a window and saw a man inside with no shirt on. As the police-man and his dog circled the building, the shirtless man and a man wearing a red shirt fled the building, police said.

The shirtless man, Quinones, surren-dered to the K-9 unit immediately, while the other man, Chamberlain, kept run-ning. When he was eventually caught, Chamberlain was found in possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Quinones was charged with defi-ant trespass, while Chamberlain was charged with defiant trespass and pos-session of paraphernalia.

2 arrested during burglary at Millville Iron Works

Staff Photo by Bryan Littel

New Bridgeton mayor Albert Kelly throws out the first pitch at the Bridgeton Invitational Friday evening. See more on Page B-1.