Man Fatally Beaten by Daughter’s Alleged Rapist and His Father, Police Say

In a shocking incident that unfolded in New Jersey, a father and his daughter found themselves in a deadly confrontation with the alleged rapist of the young girl. The tragic event occurred when Louis "Gus" Serbeck, 54, and his daughter went to the home of 17-year-old "J.H." to confront him about an alleged sexual assault that took place the day before. What was intended to be a conversation turned into a violent altercation, resulting in Serbeck's death.

According to authorities, the confrontation took place on Easter Sunday. Serbeck's daughter had informed him that "J.H." had assaulted her at his residence, prompting the father to take action. They arrived at the home of Eric D. Hannah, 55, who is "J.H."'s father, hoping to discuss the situation. However, the encounter quickly escalated into chaos.

When Serbeck and his daughter arrived, it was "J.H." who answered the door. The situation deteriorated rapidly, leading to a physical altercation. Reports indicate that "J.H." struck Serbeck multiple times in the head with a metal baseball bat, while also allegedly hitting Serbeck's daughter during the struggle. Eric Hannah also joined the fray, reportedly hitting Serbeck in the back of the head with a metal flashlight. The violence left "J.H." with facial injuries as well.

Emergency services were called to the scene, and Serbeck was transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries while being transferred to another facility for further treatment.

Family & Victim Responses

In the aftermath of this tragic event, Serbeck's family has expressed their grief and disbelief. Christopher Serbeck, Gus's brother, spoke to the media, describing his brother as someone who would go out of his way to help others. "He would do anything for anyone," Christopher said. "He would take the shirt off his back and give it to you, just because you needed it. You call him, he'll be there."

Christopher emphasized that his brother died while trying to protect his daughter, stating, "He literally laid his life down for his daughter." He also revealed that the two families had a long-standing relationship, with Eric Hannah being described as a "lifelong friend of the family." This revelation added a layer of complexity to the tragedy, as Christopher noted, "No expectations of something like this happening at all."

Serbeck's daughter corroborated her father's long-standing friendship with Hannah in a probable cause statement. She explained that her father wanted to address the incident from the previous day and alleviate any misunderstandings. However, she described "J.H." as "extremely aggressive" when he answered the door, alleging that he immediately punched her father in the face.

As the confrontation escalated, Serbeck attempted to back away, but "J.H." reportedly grabbed a baseball bat and smashed a window on Serbeck's vehicle. When Serbeck tried to intervene, "J.H." allegedly turned the bat on him, leading to the fatal injuries.

Police have indicated that they received cell phone video footage of the altercation, which reportedly shows both Hannah and "J.H." approaching Serbeck as he leaned against a pickup truck in the yard. In the footage, "J.H." can be seen holding what appears to be a hammer, while his father is armed with both the bat and a flashlight.

Following the violent encounter, Serbeck and his daughter attempted to leave the scene. However, Serbeck collapsed near his vehicle, prompting further medical assistance.

On April 20, both Eric Hannah and "J.H." were taken into custody and charged with homicide and weapons offenses. Additionally, "J.H." faces an aggravated assault charge based on the allegations made by Serbeck's daughter. Eric Hannah is currently being held in Cumberland County Jail, while "J.H." has been placed in a juvenile detention facility as authorities determine whether he will be tried as an adult.