3 Arrested for October Home Invasion, Aggravated Assault

The following is based on information received from a law enforcement agency. The persons named are innocent until proven otherwise in court.
CREST HAVEN — A joint release from Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland and Lower Township Police Chief William Mastriana Dec. 5 announced the arrest of Deshyamma R. Dalton, Michael Woods Jr. and Jeremy J. Thompson-Pierce for a home invasion and attempted murder Oct. 17 on Old Mill Drive in North Cape May.
At about 12:51 a.m. on that date, Lower Township police received a 911 call of an assault that had occurred.
When police arrived in the 100 block of Old Mill Drive, they found the 48-year-old victim badly beaten.
He was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical center, and an investigation started immediately. Detectives from the Lower Township Police Department and the County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes and Crime Scene units responded.
As a result of that investigation, authorities determined that Jacob L. Servais, Woods, and Thompson-Pierce, aided by Dalton, entered the victim’s residence, restrained him and assaulted him.
He was repeatedly struck with a rifle over an extended period with enough force to break the wooden rifle stock. The victim was in critical condition when transported to the hospital. He was treated and released several days later.
According to a state Attorney General’s Nov. 1 release, one of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s detectives, John Caccia, was identified as having encountered Servais and shot him three times with his service pistol, Oct. 18 at a Vineland truck rental agency in the 2500 block South Delsea Drive. Servais died as a result of the incident.
The incident was investigated by the state Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team since it involved the use of deadly force.
On Oct. 26, Dalton, 22, of the 200 block Sinnickson Street, Salem was charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, aggravated assault, criminal restraint, and theft.
She was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center pending court proceedings.
Then, Nov. 20, Thompson-Pierce, 19, of the 700 block Cedar Street, Vineland was found in Bridgeton. He was arrested and lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Center. His charges included attempted murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit attempted murder, aggravated assault, criminal restraint, and theft.
Also on Nov. 20, Woods, 20, of the 400 block Second Street, Millville was found in that city. He was also arrested and lodged in Cape May County Correctional Center. His charges included attempted murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit attempted murder, aggravated assault, criminal restraint, and theft.
On Nov. 29, Woods and Thompson-Pierce were charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. Both were served these additional charges in the Cape May County Correctional Center.
Sutherland urged anyone with information about this investigation to contact the Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135, Lower Township Police Department at 609-886-1619, or anonymously through the Sheriff’s Department Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net and click anonymous tip or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-465-2800.