Michael S. Curwin, a longtime Gloucester County first assistant prosecutor who retired last year, died over the weekend. He was 60 years old.
WOODBURY -- Law enforcement and county officials are mourning the loss of Michael S. Curwin, a longtime Gloucester County first assistant prosecutor, who died over the weekend. He was 60 years old.
Curwin worked for the prosecutor's office for more than 28 years until his retirement last year. He prosecuted many crucial cases, including the 2002 "cold case" murder of 22-year-old Jennifer Whipkey in West Deptford.
In 2013, more than seven years after the fatal stabbing of the East Greenwich mother, a man was finally arrested and convicted "in a largely circumstantial case (that) Curwin presented to a jury," a statement from the county prosecutor's office said.
"The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office family lost a brother Saturday morning," said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton in a statement on Monday. "Words cannot express our sense of sorrow over his passing. He was a true gentleman who sought justice in every case he handled. He will be sorely missed and always remembered."
Dalton said Curwin was "a tireless advocate for victims of crime in Gloucester County." He added that he was a mentor to many and a man known for his integrity and high ethical standards.
MORE: Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office announces minority recruitment push
Originally from New York, Curwin graduated from the Rutgers-Camden Law School in 1980. He started at the GCPO roughly five years later and served there until his retirement in July 2014.
About a year after his retirement, his wife of 21 years, Audrey Curwin, was sworn in as the county's first assistant prosecutor -- a position she still holds today, in addition to her role as trial chief.
"The best compliment a defense attorney can give to a prosecutor is the fact that he provided a very fair, ethical presentation, didn't take any shortcuts, no cheap shots. And that's been the hallmark of Mike Curwin's career," Dalton said.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
