Case file

Alicia Stilley case file and memorial story

This documented case file remembers Alicia Stilley while organizing the public record, timeline, and reporting context surrounding the case in Palmyra, New Jersey.

On April 18, 2022, 28-year-old Alicia Stilley of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, was shot and killed at the Hot Wet & Wax self-service car wash in Palmyra, New Jersey. Responding officers found her bleeding and unconscious on the ground next to her car; she was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to her chest. Her ex-boyfriend, 32-year-old Antonio Burke of Palmyra, fled the state and was arrested one week later during a traffic stop in Dallas, Texas. Investigators uncovered a prior history of domestic violence between the couple, including allegations that Burke had previously threatened Stilley with a firearm. While Burke initially claimed the shooting was an accident that occurred when he tried to wrest the gun from Stilley's hands, he ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter. On October 10, 2025, Burke was sentenced in Mercer County Superior Court to 21 years in New Jersey state prison.

Memorial case

Palmyra, New Jersey • 2022-04-18 • girlfriend

victim-age-28 suspect-age-32 relationship-ex-boyfriend location-car-wash location-palmyra-nj state-new-jersey county-burlington crime-aggravated-manslaughter weapon-firearm history-of-domestic-violence prior-threats-with-weapon suspect-fled-state arrest-traffic-stop-out-of-state sentence-21-years no-early-release-act-nj

How to use this case file

Readers often arrive looking for the victim name, the case, the suspect, or the location. This page is meant to help you understand the memorial story, the documented timeline, and the verified public record in one place.

Browse the full case archive, explore the warning signs index, see the cross-case timeline, or find domestic violence support resources.

Victim summary

This summary layer helps readers understand the person, the known case posture, and the documentary shape of the file before moving into the fuller reporting.

Case snapshot

Victim: Alicia Stilley
Age: 28
Gender: female
Race / ethnicity: W
Relationship: girlfriend
Offender: Antonio Burke

Location and dates

City: Palmyra
County: Burlington
State: New Jersey
Incident date: 2022-04-18
Date of death: 2022-04-18

Case status and outcome

This section summarizes the court posture and procedural outcome that readers most often search for.

Status

Case status: Sentenced
Conviction status: Sentenced to 21 years
Source strength: 15 linked sources

Charges and sentencing

Charges: Murder

Sentence: 21 years in prison

Court monitoring

This section reflects core court-tracking details only when they are available in the public case record.

Docket information

Case status: Sentenced

Warning signs and risk factors

These markers help readers connect a single case to broader patterns of coercive control, escalating abuse, and missed intervention points.

Warning signs

Escalating violence Firearm access

Risk factors

Prior domestic violence reports Access to firearms

Life, memory, and case context

Alicia Stilley was a 28-year-old woman who resided in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, a suburban township in Burlington County. She was a daughter and a family member whose life was cut short on April 18, 2022. Because there are no public obituaries or memorial pages, further personal details about Alicia's career, education, and hobbies remain private, but she is remembered by her loved ones who cooperated with investigators to seek justice in her name.

Fatal incident and reported circumstances

On Monday, April 18, 2022, at approximately 10:45 PM, the Palmyra Police Department received a report of an unconscious woman bleeding at the Hot Wet & Wax self-service car wash on Filmore Street in Palmyra, New Jersey. Upon arrival, officers discovered Alicia Stilley lying on the ground near her vehicle. She had suffered a gunshot wound to her chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy conducted by the Burlington County Medical Examiner confirmed that Stilley died from a gunshot wound to her thorax, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Aftermath and case developments

Following the shooting, local police and the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office identified Stilley’s ex-boyfriend, Antonio Burke, as the suspect. Burke had fled New Jersey immediately after the incident. On April 25, 2022, Dallas police officers stopped Burke for a traffic violation in Dallas, Texas, where he was taken into custody on an active warrant. He was extradited back to New Jersey to face charges of first-degree murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. During interrogation, Burke claimed the shooting was an accident, stating Stilley was playing with his gun and it went off while he was attempting to disarm her. However, family statements regarding Burke's history of domestic violence and previous gun threats undermined his defense. Burke ultimately accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to a downgraded charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter. On October 10, 2025, Burke was sentenced to 21 years in New Jersey state prison. Under state law, he must serve at least 85% of this term before he can be considered for parole.

Prevention context

The investigation into Alicia Stilley’s death highlighted significant warning signs that preceded the fatal shooting. Family members reported a history of domestic violence in the relationship, specifically noting that Antonio Burke had previously threatened Stilley with a firearm. The presence of a firearm in an abusive relationship is one of the most critical indicators of potential extreme violence. Despite these known threats, there were no active protective orders or intervention measures on record that prevented Burke from accessing Stilley or possessing the weapon used in the crime.

Family interviews and memorial voices

When families choose to speak, their words help preserve memory, context, and the human reality behind the public record.

Family interview

PART 2 - server suggests for her to change the tip #greenscreen #pov #drama #customerservice #restaurantstory | Floofy Doofy | Facebook

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Court records and public filings

Public filings, police reports, court dockets, and related records help establish what is documented, what remains disputed, and where warnings were recorded.

News Article

NJ Man Sentenced for Fatally Shooting Girlfriend at Car Wash

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Additional evidence and source material

Some materials do not fit neatly into one category but still belong in the documentary record of the case.

News report

Alicia Stilley / Antonio Burke

verified Alicia Stilley / Antonio Burke

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News report

Former Boyfriend Sentenced in Palmyra Fatal Shooting

verified Former Boyfriend Sentenced in Palmyra Fatal Shooting

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News report

NJ Man Sentenced for Fatally Shooting Girlfriend at Car Wash

verified NJ Man Sentenced for Fatally Shooting Girlfriend at Car Wash

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Social post or screenshot

Facebook

verified Facebook

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Social post or screenshot

Here's what it's REALLY like staying in a Little Mermaid room✨🐠 #artofanimation #littlemermaid #disneyresort #disneyresorts | Kaitlyn Reifsteck - Affiliate of Academy Travel | Facebook

verified Here's what it's REALLY like staying in a Little Mermaid room✨🐠 #artofanimation #littlemermaid #disneyresort #disneyresorts | Kaitlyn Reifsteck - Affiliate of Academy Travel | Facebook

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News report

Former Boyfriend Sentenced in Palmyra Fatal Shooting

verified Former Boyfriend Sentenced in Palmyra Fatal Shooting

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