A 32-year-old Franklinville man has been arrested and is in custody after his girlfriend was found shot to death inside their Franklin Township home early this week. Christina Cruz, 30, was found shot in the living room of a residence on Porchtown Road, and authorities say her boyfriend, Ricardo A. Ferrera, fled the scene before officers arrived.
According to NJ.com, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office says Ferrera faces charges including first-degree murder and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in connection with Cruz's death. The timing of the police response to the Porchtown Road home has been reported inconsistently: 6abc says officers responded around 12:45 a.m. Monday, while Patch reported a response time of about 12:40 a.m. following reports of gunshots.
Witnesses Describe Argument Before Gunfire
Per 6abc's reporting, a witness who was upstairs in the home at the time reported hearing gunshots and coming downstairs to find Cruz lying on the living room floor. That same witness allegedly told police that Ferrera had been arguing with Cruz about two hours before the shooting, and also said Ferrera drove off afterward. A second witness, who was in a first-floor bedroom, reported hearing the argument followed by two gunshots and a thud, the station's report states.
Officials describe Ferrera as roughly 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Andrew B. Johns said Ferrera should be considered armed and dangerous, according to the NJ.com account. The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office has asked anyone who sees Ferrera to call 911 and not approach him.
Suspect's Known Haunts and Past Case
Officials say Ferrera is known to frequent Millville, Vineland and Atlantic City, according to 6abc's reporting, as the search for him continues.
A separate report from Breaking AC in March 2026 said a Ricardo Ferrera, 32, had pleaded guilty to second-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm in connection with a shooting that wounded two men in Atlantic City. That case stemmed from a ShotSpotter alert that recorded seven gunshots and brought police to the 2500 block of Pacific Avenue on February 21, 2022, per Breaking AC's reporting.
The investigation into Cruz's death remains active, and Ferrera is in custody.
