East Hanover Woman's Death a 'Sudden Accident,' Obituary Says

While authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an East Hanover woman who was killed in a fire near her home last week, her obituary called it a "sudden accident."

Kim DeOliveira died Oct. 28 in a fire in a wooded area across the street from her Phyldan Road home. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office said Friday autopsy results were still pending for the 53-year-old woman.

However, her obituary published that same day called her death a "sudden accident. Visitation hours were held last weekend and a funeral Mass was offered at Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel Church Monday in Cedar Knolls, according to her obituary.

DeOliveira is survived by her husband, Fernando, of 28 years, her parents, Janet and Anthony Zaino, and her sister, Lisa Laganella, according to her obituary.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the death and are requesting information on Kim DeOliveira's whereabouts from noon Sunday, Oct. 27 until the early-morning hours on Monday, Oct. 28.

Investigators have learned DeOliveira shopped at Marshall's department store off Route 10 in East Hanover where she was seen leaving at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Investigators are still trying to determine where DeOliveira was before she arrived at the store and where she went afterward.

Steve Pezzino, who lives at 39 Phyldan Road, said he saw several small fires in the woods behind his property at about 3 a.m. Monday, according to the Daily Record. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, Pezzino said he encountered Fred DeOliveira, who was looking for his wife at about 5 a.m., the article said.

The DeOliveiras were a subject of a 2008 Redbook magazine article called “Renovating Our Home Is Demolishing Our Marriage!”

Anyone with information can contact the East Hanover Township Police Department at 973-887-0432 or the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200.