Vineland man charged in stabbing death of corrections officer released from jail

MOLLY BILINSKI Staff Writer
May 15, 2020
May 15, 2020 Updated Mar 31, 2021

BRIDGETON — An 18-year-old Vineland man charged in the stabbing death of his neighbor, a South Jersey corrections police officer, was ordered released from jail Thursday.

The man, Zachary T. Latham, of Thornhill Road, who was charged with aggravated manslaughter last week in the May 4 stabbing death of 51-year-old William T. Durham Sr., also of Thornhill Road, was released from Cumberland County jail after a detention hearing before Superior Court Judge William F. Ziegler.

18-year-old Vineland man charged in stabbing death of South Jersey corrections officer

BRIDGETON — An 18-year-old Vineland man has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the Monday stabbing death of a South Jersey corrections officer.

Latham, who is also charged with two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, four counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, was released on Level II pre-trial monitoring, according to court documents.

He will have to report to court staff twice a month, once in person and once over the phone, court records show. He is prohibited from having contact with any of the witnesses. He is also prohibited from possessing a firearm, destructive device or other dangerous weapon, and from being in the vicinity of Thornhill Road.

At 7:48 p.m. May 4, Vineland police responded to Thornhill Road for a report of an altercation and stabbing, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a news release announcing the charges. Witnesses said there had been a confrontation between Latham and his wife and Durham Sr. and his wife.

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Durham and his two sons, a 17-year-old who was not identified by authorities and William T. Durham Jr., 21, went to Latham’s home, where Zachary was armed with a knife and stun gun, Webb-McRae said.

A second altercation happened in Latham’s driveway and in the garage of the home, she said. Durham Sr. was stabbed several times and was pronounced dead at 9:19 p.m.

Durham’s wife and two sons were issued summonses on criminal trespass and assault charges.

Durham worked as a senior correctional police officer at South Woods State Prison since March 2001. GALLERY: A closed Cumberland County amid the COVID-19 pandemic