Tamara Seidle was trying to get away from her abusive ex-husband that day, but she would never make it to safety as rage and violence abruptly ended her life.
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Alleged abuse by Tamara Wilson-Seidle’s husband
This wasn’t the first violent encounter between Tamara and her ex-husband, former Neptune cop, Philip Seidle. A divorce complaint reports years of abuse, porn and game addiction, and infidelity by Philip that ultimately led to divorce. He also threatened her with a gun when she confronted him about his habits, according to her divorce complaint.
Extramarital affairs
Sgt. Phillip Seidle extramarital affairs drove a wedge between him and Tamara Seidle, to the point that she filed for divorce on June 19, 2013, to dissolve their 23-year marriage, according to the complaint.
Extreme cruelty
The complaint, filed in Superior Court in Monmouth County, said Seidle displayed “extreme cruelty” toward her almost from the beginning of their marriage. It said she asked him to get help with his pornography and video game issues, but he “refused to address his addictions,” the complaint said.
When she confronted him about the addictions, he grew angry and attacked her, the complaint said.
On one occasion, he pointed a gun to her head. On another occasion, he kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant, according to the complaint. On her birthday, he punched her in the face and the force of the blow gave her a black eye, the complaint said.
She had learn of the affairs, one when she was fighting against breast cancer, but took him back after he “professed his love” for her and “begged for forgiveness”, the complaint said. But Philip Seidle continued seeing his mistress and eventually moved in with her after leaving the family home in Jan. 2012.
The devastating final abuse against Tamara Seidle
Details are still coming out in bits and pieces, but authorities do know Tamara Seidle was chased down in a car in Asbury Park by her ex-husband June 16th around 11:30am. Tamara Seidle crashed her 2012 black Volkswagen Jetta on Sewall Avenue and that’s when Phillip Seidle exited his vehicle and fired several shots into her passenger’s side door. He was off-duty at the time.
He then paced around the vehicle, holding his .40-caliber Glock service weapon to his head, LeMieux said. Police were able to secure the couple’s daughter before Phillip Seidle fired off more shots through the front windshield of Tamara Seidle’s car.
A 30-minute standoff finally came to an end around noon, after Phillip Seidle surrendered to authorities.
She was a lovely person
Tamara Seidle was described as a lovely person who loved her children immensely and was active in the community.
According to the Asbury Park Press, Tamara Seidle was an active member in Neptune athletics and was a member of the Red and Black Booster Club.
Susan Doremus, a booster club trustee, told the newspaper that the two worked together during football games and other sporting events.
“She was a very lovely person, and she would always go above and beyond for her kids,” Doremus said, according to the newspaper.
Tamara Seidle was also the religious education coordinator for the Mother of Mercy Parish in Asbury Park, the parish’s website said.
Seidle Court appearance
Philip Seidle made his first appearance in court where his bails stands at $2 million with no 10 percent option.
Seidle’s defense attorney, Edward Bertucio, argued state guidelines suggest his bail should be no higher than $1.2 million for the three crimes Seidle is accused of, reports the APP.com. He described his client as a Navy veteran who served as a Neptune police officer for 22 years, who has no prior criminal record. He said his client has “no prior official domestic violence record.”
He said Seidle has an “otherwise unblemished and outstanding reputation.”
“There is much more to this case than meets the eye,” he told the judge. He asked for his client to get a $250,000 bail.
The assistant prosecutor agreed Seidle has been in law enforcement for a long time. He said they’ve worked together.
“But the fact of the matter is that when he was out on the street yesterday at 11:26, he was no longer a sergeant for the Neptune Township Police Department,” LeMieux said. “He turned into a criminal and a murderer.”
