Police: Lover's wife laid in wait to kill Meredith Chapman, ex-UD official

Jennair Gerardot, of Wilmington, sent a series of texts to her husband Mark on Monday in which she laid out how she planned to kill the woman with whom he was having an affair.

Sometime before 7 p.m. Monday, Radnor Township, Pa., police said Jennair Gerardot broke into the home of a former University of Delaware communications official and waited for her to come home.

Police received a 911 call around 7:05 for "two people down" and "blood on the floor."

When police arrived, Mark Gerardot was outside the house saying, "my wife may be inside."

Police called it a murder-suicide they said stemmed from a love affair between 33-year-old Chapman and Mark Gerardot.

Only two rounds were fired from the gun police found at Chapman's home, which she had recently moved into for a new job at Villanova University. 

Mark Gerardot had been a creative director at UD and reported to Chapman. The university said he left his job there earlier this month.  

Radnor Township police said Mark Gerardot was supposed to meet with Chapman for dinner and became concerned when she did not show up. 

Police said this was a "thought-out plan" that likely involved Jennair Gerardot putting on a disguise and taking public transit from Delaware to break into Chapman's home and wait for her to return.

A wig and other clothing items were found in a bag inside the house that did not appear to belong to Chapman, police said.

Chapman left UD in March and started a job as an assistant vice president at Villanova University.

"Villanova University was informed last night about the death of Meredith Chapman," said Jonathan Gust, a Villanova University spokesman. "Our hearts are broken by the devastating loss of our new colleague. The thoughts and prayers of the entire University community are with her family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time."

New Castle County police is assisting in the investigation.

Officers discovered the women's bodies inside the house on the first block of Lowrys Lane, about a mile from Villanova University.

Multiple sources told The News Journal that Chapman moved into that house sometime in the last week. 

Chapman was married to Newark City Councilman Luke Chapman, who could not be reached Tuesday.

Chapman, a former communication manager for then-Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., in 2007-2008, ran unsuccessfully in 2016 against veteran state Sen. Dave Sokola, D-Newark. She lost by five percentage points.

The news of her death began to spread Tuesday morning.

“I am shocked and devastated by the news,” said Emily Taylor, Executive Director of the Delaware Republican Party. “While so much can be said about Meredith being a rising star in the Republican Party, this is a deeply personal loss for me. Meredith and Luke Chapman are close friends. I simply can’t imagine what he is going through.”

Chapman, originally from Landenberg, Pennsylvania, graduated from the University of Delaware, where she earned a bachelor's degree in communication and a master's degree in education. The former UD cheerleader also coached the sport at Newark High School.

Less than two hours before she was killed, she posted the following on her Instagram account.

"Couldn’t be more excited to be Villanova University’s new Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Creative Services! Just a week on the job and I’m already feeling the love from #NovaNation! #GoingNova #HigherEdMarketing#NewAdventures." she posted at 5:42 p.m.