The seven remaining defendants in a deadly drug ring case will likely not appear in court again until after they are indicted.
James Kauffman and seven others charged in an Oxycontin ring that allegedly sparked the doctor to take out a hit on his wife were supposed to be in court Wednesday.
Kauffman, 68, of Linwood, was found dead in his Hudson County jail cell Jan. 26.
The other defendants waived their pre-indictment appearances.
Three men were involved in the May 10, 2012, killing of veterans advocate and local radio host April Kauffman, who was shot inside the home she and the former Egg Harbor Township endocrinologist shared.
James Kauffman planned the killing after his wife threatened to expose his illegal drug ring as she looked to divorce her husband, according to the charges.
Francis Mullholland went into the home and shot April Kauffman twice. He later died of a drug overdose, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said.
Ferdinand Augello set the whole thing up, then sent his former wife to pick up the money from the doctor, along with more prescriptions for Oxycontin, the charges claim.
The profitable drug ring was allegedly led by Kauffman and Augello, an alleged leader in the Pagans Motorcycle Club.
Augello is the only one alive charged in the murder.
His former wife Beverly Augello allegedly knew that the envelope she picked up from the doctor's office contained money for the killing, but she has not been charged in connection to April Kauffman's killing.
She, along with Paul Pagano, Glenn Seeler, Joseph Mulholland, Tabitha Chapman and Cheryl Pizza have all been released pending trial in the case.
Ferdinand Augello remains in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Tyner is expected to have the case go before a grand jury soon for indictments against the seven.
