A beloved New Jersey dad was crushed to loss of life with a baseball bat and hammer in entrance of his teen daughter exterior the house of her alleged 17-year-old assailant and his father on Easter Sunday.
Louis “Gus” Serbeck went over to Eric Hannah’s Vineland dwelling on April 20 together with his daughter, Brooke Serbeck, 19, after she instructed him she was assaulted by Hannah’s 17-year-old, recognized as JH, the day earlier than, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Workplace wrote in a press launch.
Based on authorities, the 54-year-old bodybuilder from Millville supposed to have a dialog with the teenager over his daughter’s claims, however the confrontation rapidly turned violent.
JH and Serbeck “engaged in a bodily altercation” on the entrance door of the Hannah dwelling earlier than the teenager allegedly grabbed a steel baseball bat and struck him within the head a number of instances.
Eric Hannah additionally joined in on the assault, prosecutors alleged.
Hannah then allegedly grabbed a steel flashlight and bashed Louis Serbeck behind the cranium.
Brooke, who watched her father be ganged up on and crushed, was additionally “struck within the head by JH” in the course of the chaos.
Officers with the Vineland Police Division and EMS responded to the scene and located Serbeck in important situation.
The daddy of two was en path to Inspira Medical Heart Vineland when he died, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Workplace revealed.
JH and Hannah had been arrested and charged with murder and weapons offenses on April 21.
JH can also be dealing with an extra cost of Aggravated Assault for placing Serbeck’s daughter.
Hannah was booked into the Cumberland County Jail whereas his son was taken to a juvenile facility. Prosecutors are nonetheless figuring out if JH can be charged as an grownup.
Serbeck’s brother, Christopher Serbeck, mentioned the devoted dad is remembered for his kindness and being prepared to do “something for anybody.”
“He would take the shirt off his again and provides it to you, simply trigger you wanted it. You name him, he’ll be there,” Christopher instructed 6 ABC Motion Information whereas preventing again tears on April 25.
“He actually laid his life down for his daughter.”
Christopher instructed the outlet that the 2 households had been “lifelong” pals.
“He went to highschool with my oldest brother. Recognized him our complete life,” the grieving brother mentioned. “No expectations of one thing like this taking place in any respect.”
Serbeck can also be remembered as a loyal father and “fierce protector” to his two daughters, Summer season and Brooke, in line with an internet obituary.
“Summer season and Brooke introduced out a young, loving, compassionate aspect of Gus that many individuals by no means noticed earlier than,” his obituary reads. “He was by no means happier than when he had one in every of his daughters in his arms sharing an enormous smiling cheek-to-cheek hug.”
The beloved father of two was additionally a grandfather to 2 boys from his daughter Summer season, and “can be anyplace, Dwelling Depot, Walmart, the flea market, and he’d see one thing he had to purchase for his grandsons. He loved nothing greater than spoiling these boys.”
Lately, Serbeck had grown near his daughter, Brooke, and the 2 had been “all the time collectively, doing one thing enjoyable and goofy.”
“He’d name off of labor to take her to get her hair or nails completed, or to take her purchasing as a result of she wished the most recent sneaker. Gus was the epitome of a defending, offering father,” the put up learn.
He was additionally adored for being artful and “tinkering round his storage and constructing one thing out of nothing.”
“He liked constructing, he was an environment friendly carpenter and roofer, who possessed huge information of the constructing trades that he wasn’t afraid to share with anybody prepared to hear and be taught,” in line with his obituary.
Serbeck is remembered by his father, Louis; his two daughters and two grandchildren; his brothers, Wealthy and Chris; his former spouse, Pleasure, and “quite a few aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.”
