Husband of slain teacher guarded Jewish campus

A security guard at the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus in Whippany is being sought by police as a “person of interest” in connection to the stabbing death of his wife.

The body of Judith Novellino, 62, a popular teacher at Morris Catholic High School in Denville, was found on Saturday, June 19, in the Denville home she shared with her husband, Anthony Novellino, until their recent divorce. Police say she had been stabbed more than 80 times.

At press time, police were still searching for Anthony Novellino, 63.

On Sunday, campus personnel called Randolph Services, the Cedar Knolls security company he worked for, and asked that a replacement guard be sent on Monday. Novellino often staffed the booth at the campus’ main entrance drive.

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The campus houses a number of Jewish organizations, including United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ and New Jersey Jewish News, as well as Gold’s Gym.

UJC MetroWest’s chief marketing officer, Shelley Labiner, issued the following statement on June 22:

“United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ extends our deepest sympathies to the Novellino family upon learning of their tragic loss. Anthony Novellino, a security guard that worked at the front gate of the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus, is a ‘person of interest’ in a crime that was committed at the Novellino home in Denville. Mr. Novellino…had worked at our location for many years.

“Representatives of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ have spoken with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Denville Township Police Department and they do not have any reason to believe that due to this coincidence anyone on the Aidekman campus might be at any undue or additional risk.”