INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ — Memorial services are scheduled for the 21-year-old New Jersey woman who was shot and killed last week, and loved ones are left grappling with their loss as well as funeral bills and rising crime remediation costs in their family home.
Family members and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office have identified Amanda Pulver, of Great Meadows, as the victim in a shooting the morning of June 27. Her eight-month-old puppy Dunkin’ also died.
Officials have charged Anthony J. Garvin of Netcong with murder in her death, and said the two knew one another. Amanda’s older brother Darrin clarified to Patch that the Garvin was a “former friend” and not romantically linked to his sister.
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“They were not in a relationship,” he said, noting that he wanted to clarify any misinformation about his sister’s murder. .
Amanda’s immediate family also includes her parents Darrin and Colleen, and her other older brother Michael. A GoFundMe page to help the grieving family has raised close to $36,000 as of 4 p.m. Friday.
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“Amanda’s family is very much grateful for all the donations thus far,” the family said in a statement on Friday. “However, expenses just started increasing rapidly and extensively. Any further donations would be appreciated so much. Words cannot express our gratitude during this difficult time.”
The GoFundMe to help the Pulver family notes that they were “her top priority,” and the obituary details her extremely close bond with her mother along with memories of good times spent with her father and brothers.
“We had a very, very joyful time over the years,” her brother Darrin reflected.
The shooting took place at the family’s home, and a SWAT team also made entry as they tried to apprehend Garvin. Darrin said the cost of cleaning and repairing the interior of their home has been piling up, on top of burial expenses.
He and his husband Steven expressed their gratitude for the kindness and generosity that people have shown the family thus far in their time of grief.
“The outpouring of kindness has just been overwhelming, but it has been beautiful,” Steven said.
Amanda was a 2021 graduate of Hackettstown High School and had begun studying business management in college, according to her obituary with Cochran Funeral Home. She wanted to run her own house-flipping business one day.
“Amanda’s smile would be described as infectious by everyone she knew,” her family wrote in the obituary. “From a very young age, she was the one person in any room that could make everyone laugh.”
She “had a love for everything fun,” and was also very in touch with her emotions; she enjoyed talking to people about their own feelings, and offering advice, her family said.
The obituary lists other loved ones including her grandparents Christina Pulver, Calvin Pulver, Margaret Bassininski, and her late grandfather Gerald Bassininski; her close friend Christina Holmberg, “whom she considered a sister;” and Bento (Zach), “her one and only true love.”
A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 7 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cochran Funeral Home (905 High Street, Hackettstown). Services will begin at 7:30 p.m., with Father Antony Arockiadoss presiding. Cremation will be private.
The fundraiser is to help the family with burial expenses, bioremediation services, and “their fight for justice.”
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