Carol Reiff's Former Neighbors Mark Anti-Crime Night

Neighbors at the Lakeview Apartments came out of their homes Tuesday evening for a National Night Out anti-crime initiative. The event means even more this year.

The remains of Carol Reiff, 59, a former resident were found in the woods on the grounds of this 53-acre development in June. Police criminal investigators are still seeking clues for her cause of death.

A solar-powered, electric road sign Tuesday was the lone reminder of the grim discovery here in mid-June. A reward for clues to her death has grown to $20,000.

A smoky barbecue pit, children running and playing in a pool and neighbors milling around, talking and laughing is what Lakeview looked like on Tuesday.

Lee Chanona, the operations manager for the sprawling 700-unit apartment complex on 53-acres off of Lower Landing Road, manned the grill, flipped burgers and turned hotdogs. He declined to speak about Reiff's disappearance but said his tenants had a close-knit community, despite the criminal investigation into her disappearance and cause of death.

"I'm not really here to comment on any of the situations that have occurred over the last month," Chanona said. "Here, today, we're just celebrating the fact that we have a good close-knit community and enjoying the evening."

Gloucester Township has had one confirmed homicide and Reiff's disappearance and death over the last two months. 

Lamar Ortiz, 20, was fatally shot on July 16 outside of his home at the Autumn Ridge Apartments on Little Gloucester Road in the Blackwood section of the township. Police have made three arrest in the case, including a 16-year-old boy charged in the killing. Investigators said Ortiz sold guns and was shot in a drug deal that went bad.

National Night Out is designed to: heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support and participation in local anti-crime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Residents at Lakeview and nearly a dozen other neighborhoods that held events on Tuesday hope the fight to take back their neighborhoods began Tuesday night.