A FATHER has allegedly been beaten to death with a baseball bat and flashlight after trying to protect his daughter from what prosecutors say was “aggravated assault.”
The two families involved in the horrific incident have muddied the case by telling two completely different stories.
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Louis “Gus” Serbeck, 54, was killed last Easter Sunday on April 20 after a “physical altercation” with a 17-year-old boy accused of assaulting his daughter, according to prosecutors.
Serbeck of Millville, New Jersey – less than an hour’s drive west of Atlantic City – was remembered in his obituary for his “unwavering love and protection towards family and friends.”
He died at the home of Eric Hannah, 55, after he and his daughter went to confront Hannah about his teenage son, who prosecutors called J.H.
Prosecutors allege that J.H. had assaulted Serbeck’s daughter the day before at the Hannah family’s Millville home.
Serbeck’s daughter was identified by the New York Post as 19-year-old Brooke.
The Serbeck family told the outlet that Brooke claimed that she was left with two black eyes after spending the night at the Hannahs’ home.
Hannah and Serbeck had been friends since high school, according to the Post.
When J.H. met Serbeck at the front door on April 20, they fought each other, according to prosecutors.
J.H. allegedly hit Serbeck in the head with a metal baseball bat multiple times and his father, who joined in the fight, allegedly struck Serbeck in the back of the head with a metal flashlight.
J.H. also “suffered facial injuries” and Serbeck’s daughter was hit in the head by J.H. during the fight, according to prosecutors.
Police later arrived at the home and were transporting Serbeck for medical treatment when he died.
“He laid his life down to do what he does best, to protect his family; to protect his baby girl,” Serbeck’s obituary read.
Hannah and his teen son were charged with homicide and weapons offenses in connection with Serbeck’s death.
J.H. was also charged with the aggravated assault of Serbeck’s daughter.
What happened to Louis Serbeck?
Louis “Gus
Serbeck went to the home of Eric Hannah, 55, with his daughter to confront him about his teenage son, who prosecutors called J.H.
Prosecutors say that J.H. had assaulted Serbeck’s daughter the day before at the Hannah family’s home in Millville, New Jersey.
When J.H. met Serbeck at the front door on April 20, they fought each other, according to prosecutors.
J.H. allegedly hit Serbeck in the head with a metal baseball bat multiple times and his father, who joined in the fight, struck Serbeck in the back of the head with a metal flashlight.
J.H. also “suffered facial injuries” and Serbeck’s daughter was hit in the head by J.H. during the fight, according to prosecutors.
Police later arrived at the home and were transporting Serbeck for medical treatment when he died.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office and the Vineland Police Department for comment.
THE HANNAH FAMILY’S STORY
The Hannah family shared a different version of events.
They told the Post that Brooke’s injuries happened when she got into a drunken brawl with J.H.’s 14-year-old sister on April 19.
The teen sister said that Brooke, who the Hannah family says was drunk, was hanging out at their house with friends when the family tried to throw her out at around 3 am.
But, according to the teen sister, Brooke started shoving people and pulling hair.
“So I punched her in the face,” she said.
The teen sister added: “I honestly wouldn’t have punched her if she didn’t grab my hair, but she grabbed my hair, so I punched her.”
According to the Hannah family, J.H. was defending himself when Serbeck came to the house the next day, claiming the dad threw the first punch.
J.H. had a bat and Serbeck had a pipe as they swung at each other, the Hannah family claimed.
The teen sister added that Brooke also fought by pulling hair.
She denied any claims that Serbeck was hit in the head with a bat or flashlight, saying that everybody thought he was having a heart attack when he eventually collapsed.
“It makes me feel almost sick,” the teen sister said.
She continued: “It just feels unreal because I was there, and I just think that it’s horrible that one person can lie about something and now this whole story is out there, just because one person said something.”
BROTHER SPEAKS OUT
Serbeck’s younger brother, Christopher, can’t make sense of what happened between Serbeck and Hannah.
“To have someone you’ve known your whole life kill you, it just don’t add up,” he told the Post.
Christopher claimed that it was the Hannah family that started the fight and questioned the result of the altercation given his brother’s abilities.
“I’ve seen him fight five guys at the same time and never have a problem,” he said. “There’s something that wasn’t right about that day.”
Serbeck leaves behind two children and two grandchildren.