Vineland man ordered held in wife's killing week after release in assault of baby

A Cumberland County man was ordered held in the killing of his wife. It was John Jacobs' second detention hearing in less than a month. A motion to detain the Vineland man in a previous case was denied Dec. 12. A week later, he was charged with murder and arson in the death of his 22-year-old wife, who was found in her partially burned Trailblazer on Dec. 19, in the woods in Williamstown, Gloucester County. Superior Court Judge John Tomasello ordered Jacobs held Monday. He also ordered a psychiatric evaluation on Jacobs, 27. Jacobs was first jailed Dec. 4, after the couple's 2-week-old was hospitalized with fractures to her left leg. The father admitted that the injury was caused when he was changing the baby’s diaper Nov. 30. The state made a motion to detain him on that charge in Cumberland County, but that was denied Dec. 12, court records show. The public safety assessment — used to determined release under bail reform — recommended release at that time. A week later, Jacobs called a friend on FaceTime to say he had killed his wife and that he was stuck in the woods in Mullica Hill, and was going to burn the vehicle and kill himself, according to the affidavit in the murder case. The unnamed friend said he could see Sahlena Blackwell-Jacobs in the back seat during the call, and that she appeared to be dead.At about 11 a.m. Dec. 19, a ping narrowed down location to 870 W. Malaga Road. While they were searching, police got a call at about 4:30 p.m., that a vehicle that looked like someone tried to burn it had been found. The SUV was found at the rear of 1920 S. Black Horse Pike. A body was found inside that was later identified as Blackwell-Jacobs.Both the couple’s infant daughter and the woman’s other child are safe, authorities have said.Jacobs was arrested the next day, and lodged in the Gloucester County Correctional Facility.His next court date is set for Feb. 6.