Tuckerton man indicted for shooting man he thought was sleeping with his wife

A Tuckerton man caught in a Love Triangle who proceeded to shoot a man he believed was sleeping with his estranged wife earlier this year has now been indicted for charged including Attempted Murder.

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Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the indictment Thursday of Donald Rutter, 52, by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County for Attempted Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon for shooting 55-year old Thomas Jarvis on January 5 in Little Egg Harbor Township.

Little Egg Harbor Police responded to Jarvis Marine on Radio Road that night for a call that a man had been shot.

Jarvis was found shot -- in the midsection.

He was then brought to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, was treated for his injuries and was eventually released from the hospital.

Rutter fled the scene and evaded law enforcement for nearly a month until one day he was found sleeping under the boardwalk near Tennessee Avenue in Atlantic City and was arrested by U.S. Marshals.

He's been in the Ocean County Jail ever since that date.

Why did Rutter shoot Jarvis?

He blames Jarvis for breaking up his 18-year marriage and Rutter's wife told her husband that she "no longer wanted to be with him as a result of his drinking," all this according to an affidavit that was filed earlier this year by investigators in Ocean County Superior Court.

Rutter reportedly smiled when he shot Jarvis at the victims place of business.

Jarvis then ran to a neighboring house and called 9-1-1.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Regional SWAT Team, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Park Police, United States Marshals Service, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and Tuckerton Police Department are took part in this investigation.

Prosecutor Billhimer said that Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Kaitlyn Burke is handling the case on behalf of the State.

Previous reporting by Dan Alexander was used in this article.