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Man gets prison for strangling of Lumberton woman

William Gennett was convicted in the death of Shannon O'Rourke on July 5, 2016.

William Gennett was sentenced to 30 years in New Jersey state prison for strangling a Lumberton woman, Shannon O'Rourke, in 2016.
William Gennett was sentenced to 30 years in New Jersey state prison for strangling a Lumberton woman, Shannon O'Rourke, in 2016.Read moreBurlington County Prosecutor's Office

A 54-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in New Jersey state prison for the 2016 strangling death of a 45-year-old Lumberton woman.

William Gennett, of Tabernacle, was convicted by a Burlington County jury of first-degree murder in the death of Shannon O'Rourke inside her Nassau Road residence on July 5, 2016. Gennett also was convicted of fourth-degree stalking.

Gennett killed O'Rourke after she rejected his attempts to turn their friendship into a romantic relationship, prosecutors said. Gennett used a smartphone app to track her whereabouts without her knowledge.