Killer of Grandmother Arraigned

HADDONFIELD, N.J. -- In court Monday, an arraignment was held in the case of a man accused in the beating death of Dianna Barker, 69.

Police said William Ershkowitz, 36, killed Barker after a family argument. Barker and her husband, Richard, had 15 children. Thirteen of those children were adopted and two were people who just wanted to be their kids, so they included them in their home.

Ershkowitz is charged with murdering Barker, who was his daughter's grandmother.

Richard Barker said that when Ershkowitz and his daughter had a baby, they chose not to care for her, so the Barkers adopted the girl and became her legal parents, as well as being her grandparents.

Ershkowitz moved into the home with the Barkers about a year ago, under the provision that he help take care of Richard, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease.

According to the prosecutor, Ershkowitz and Dianna Barker were arguing early Friday morning in the kitchen, reportedly over a Halloween party he wanted to take his daughter to, when he hit Barker several times and knocked her to the floor.

Police said he then dragged her out the door and down the steps, where her husband later found her dead.

"He didn't like to be crossed, and Dianna didn't like to back down either. I don't know what the issues were last Friday, but apparently they were sufficient to let him do what he did," Richard Barker said.

Ed Preston is one of Dianna Baker's sons-in-law. He was in court Monday, wanting to see justice done and fighting his emotion.

"What I'm upset most about is I have an 8-month-old son. He will never get to know his grandmother like the other grandchildren, and I feel very bad about that. He will never know his grandmother and that's a shame because she was such a wonderful person," Preston said.

Ershkowitz is being held in jail on $350,000 cash bail.

Tuesday, a memorial service will be held for Dianna Barker and with her 15 children attending.

The family said they have received an unbelievable amount of sympathy from the public and they ask that, in lieu of sending flowers, any donations be sent to the New Jersey Coalition for Openness in Adoption in Morristown, N.J.

Click here for more information about the organization.

Copyright 2003 by NBC 10. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Author: NBC10