Motive remains unclear in Freehold murder-suicide case

It remains unclear why a Freehold man killed his wife and then himself in Monmouth County Monday morning, leaving his three children without parents.

Authorities say that Kenneth Bartone killed his wife Denise Bartone inside their Freehold Township home on Koster Drive Monday morning. Bartone then apparently drove to the Thomas Edison Memorial Bridge in Woodbridge and jumped into the Raritan River.

Denise Bartone was known as an active member of the Freehold Township school community and did work with the township’s education foundation.

RELATED: Police: Woman killed inside home, husband dead in apparent suicide 

Freehold Township Mayor Barbara McMorrow was friends with Denise.

"We always say we are a family town, you see that on our signs,” says McMorrow. "As a family, we will all come together and support her children and do whatever needs to be done to get the family through this awful period of time. "

The Bartones’ three daughters attended different schools within the school district.

Crisis counselors were on hand at each school Tuesday to help the community cope with the tragedy.

Officials say that the investigation remains open. Anyone who may have any details is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Andrea Tozzi at 1-800-733-7443 or Freehold Township Police Detective James Burdge at 732-462-7908.