Pleasantville Man Indicted For Christmas Eve Murder

A Pleasantville man has been indicted in the murder of a Somers Point man in Pleasantville on Christmas Eve last year, acting Atlantic County Prosecutor James P. McClain announced.

Lenny Ross Jr., 29, was indicted for the fatal shooting of Stephen Gurss Jr., 28, on Dec. 24, 2011, McClain said. He was indicted on 11 charges, including first degreee murder and multiple drug and weapons offenses, McClain said.

According to McClain, police responded to the scene of a shooting on that day outside the Marina Del Ray Apartments on Atlantic Avenue. There, they discovered Gurss in a vehicle, having suffered a gunshot wound to the head, McClain said.

Gurss was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Campus, where he was pronounced dead the following morning, McClain said.

On July 12, 2012, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, the Atlantic City Police Department and the Atlantic City Task Force arrested Ross on the 1100 block of Baltic Avenue, McClain said. According to McClain, the Pleasantville Police Department also participated in the investigation that resulted in Ross' arrest.

Ross was taken into custody on murder and weapons charges, and lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $1 million full cash bail, McClain said.