New Jersey Woman’s Sister and Boyfriend Charged in Her Overdose Death

Investigators charge sister and boyfriend with the murder of Emily Cruddas, turning the case from suicide to homicide after allegations of heroin and fentanyl injection.

Authorities initially believed 21-year-old Emily Cruddas died from a self-inflicted drug overdose in February 2023. However, after nearly two years of investigation, police now say her death was no suicide. Instead, her sister, Sarah Errickson, 36, and boyfriend, Joseph Ragan, 22, have been charged with murder and conspiracy for allegedly injecting her with a fatal dose of heroin and fentanyl.

New Jersey State Police responded to a reported overdose at a home on East Sunrise Road in Upper Township on February 16, 2023. When officers arrived, they found Cruddas unresponsive, and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Given her history—she had previously attempted suicide following a miscarriage—investigators initially classified her death as self-inflicted.

However, about a month later, Ragan came forward with a disturbing confession. He admitted that both he and Errickson had injected an unconscious Cruddas with drugs. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by WPVI, Ragan claimed that after Cruddas returned home from the hospital following her suicide attempt, Errickson gave her two capsules filled with crushed Xanax. Then, she prepared a syringe with 10 to 15 bags of fentanyl-laced heroin. While Cruddas was incapacitated, Errickson allegedly injected the drugs into her sister's hand, saying, "Take your medicine," while Ragan held her mouth shut.

As detectives pursued the case, more evidence surfaced. In April 2023, a witness provided police with a backpack containing 15 wax folds of heroin—determined to be from the same batch as the drugs found near Cruddas' body. The witness also confirmed Ragan's account, revealing that Errickson had blamed her sister for losing custody of her children and had previously spoken about wanting her dead. According to police, Errickson believed injecting Cruddas with drugs was the best way to make it look like an overdose.

With enough evidence in hand, authorities officially charged Errickson with murder, and she was taken into custody last month. She is currently being held at Cape May County Jail without bond. Ragan was arrested in Iowa on January 30 and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

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