Slain New Jersey therapist’s grad school roommate recounts friendship with couple during time in Boston

BOSTON – "I anticipation she was not miserable toward the extremity of things," said Jennifer Payne, a adjacent person and erstwhile roommate of slain New Jersey therapist Brooke Hanlon.

Payne told Fox News Digital she's known Hanlon since 2013. The 2 became precise adjacent friends portion attending postgraduate schoolhouse unneurotic astatine Northeastern University. They besides were roommates for a fewer years successful Boston.

Hanlon, a 35-year-old who had a babe past year, was recovered fatally stabbed wrong her Chester, New Jersey location connected June 6.

Brooke Hanlon, 35, was recovered stabbed to decease wrong her Chester, New Jersey location successful June. Her longtime person and erstwhile roommate, Jennifer Payne, is reeling from the tragedy. (Jennifer Payne)

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Payne learned astir the decease of her longtime person erstwhile a quality outlet called her weeks aft investigators made their discovery.

Authorities person not yet named a imaginable fishy oregon idiosyncratic of involvement successful the ongoing homicide investigation.

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Speaking astir the constricted merchandise of accusation successful the case, Payne said, "The full complexity of it all—and not knowing—keeps you connected bated enactment each the time."

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Payne's achy nonaccomplishment of her person brings backmost galore memories, including their post-grad travel to Europe she tells Fox News Digital.

Jennifer Payne, longtime person to slain New Jersey mother, Brooke Hanlon, says the brace traveled to Europe unneurotic station graduation. (Jennifer Payne)

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While Brooke and her husband, Conor, were dating, Payne said the radical often hung retired unneurotic and sometimes Conor's household members would join. The Hanlon household is from Boston's Brighton neighborhood.

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Conor Hanlon leaves a residence successful Massachusetts Thursday, July 9, 2026. Hanlon is the widower of Brooke Hanlon, who was recovered dormant successful their location successful New Jersey successful June. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

Conor had a reserved quality astir him erstwhile she knew him, Payne said.

"He conscionable didn't truly person overmuch personality. I didn't deliberation helium was precise motivated."

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Conor Hanlon leaves a residence successful Massachusetts Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

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Conor has yet to marque a nationalist connection astir the decease of his wife.

Jennifer Payne, longtime person and erstwhile roommate of slain New Jersey mother, Brooke Hanlon says she wants to support her friend's bequest alive. (Jennifer Payne)

Brooke Hanlon was recovered stabbed to decease successful her Chester, New Jersey home. Her longtime friend, Jennifer Payne says she got the devastating quality erstwhile a quality enactment reached retired to her. (Jennifer Payne)

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Conor Hanlon has not been charged with immoderate transgression oregon wrongdoing.

Fox News Digital has made galore attempts to scope him but calls person not been returned.