shortly before dawn on september 28, 2014, local firefighters responded to a report of flames at the sheridans' house on meadow run drive in the skillman section of montgomery township, in southwestern somerset county. smoke was coming from one area of the second floor that turned out to be the master bedroom. after entering through the unlocked front door, the firefighters went upstairs and easily put out the fire, fueled by gasoline that had been poured on the floor as an accelerant. also on the floor, they found the bodies of john and joyce, lying face up. john was pronounced dead at the scene, as was joyce after her body was taken to university medical center of princeton at plainsboro.