Murder Suspect Caught In Bensalem Feared Being Killed: Police

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A man arrested in Bensalem last week on charges of killing a New Jersey hunter at a Boy Scout reservation was paranoid that people were trying to kill him, according to court documents.

Shawn Massey, 38, was arrested at about 4 p.m. on Jan. 19 in Bensalem, according to the Camden County (N.J.) Prosecutor's Office. He has been charged with murder in the death of 54-year-old Joseph Bottino.

Massey was identified as a suspect after detectives identified his fingerprints on a phone that was left at the murder scene, officials said in an affidavit of probable cause.

Police said they also discovered a knife and cinder blocks with apparent blood stains near Bottino's body, which was found in the Pine Hill Boy Scout Reservation. Bottino had gone there to hunt, as he frequently did, according to his family.

After identifying Massey as the suspect, police went to Massey's home to question him. However, people who are familiar with Massey said they hadn't seen him since Dec. 23, the date Bottino's body was discovered, police said.

They also said this was unusual for Massey, who battles substance abuse and mental health issues, according to police. They told police he had stopped taking his medication and believed people were trying to kill him, according to authorities.

Finally, they told police Massey often took long walks in the woods, but usually returned within a day. During a subsequent search of the reservation, police found Massey's cell phone hidden under a pile of leaves on a utility trailer in the reservation, police said.

On Dec. 27, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office issued an announcement that Massey was missing, and included a picture of him in that announcement.

On Jan. 19, they updated their announcement to say he had been charged with murder in Bottino's death. That same day, a Bensalem police officer recognized Massey and arrested him without incident, police said.

Massey was recently released from prison, after three years for aggravated assault and other criminal offenses, according to the Courier Post.

In an online fundraiser, Bottino was described as "an incredibly lovely spirit, with an infectious kindness in his heart, which he led with at all times."

"An enormous heart equates to an enormous loss, which the family is still coming to terms with. Joe loved his family ferociously, and his wife, Jen with incredible tenderness," the organizer of the Joe Bottino Memorial Fund wrote. "Joe was stolen from his family and friends too soon, including his two children, Jillian (Chris) and Joseph (Claire)."'

As of Monday, the fund had raised $32,915. To donate, visit gofundme.com.