Chadd W. Lackey, the executive director of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, was killed today in a multiple motor vehicle accident on Route 130 in Hamilton Township around 8 AM this morning.
He was 55.
A veteran member of the SCI staff, Lackey had served as deputy director and general counsel before assuming the top staff post in 2020 as the first Black executive director.
He had directed investigations into organized crime, prescription pill abuse, and a critical report of state-run veterans homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. He served as a prosecutor in Miami-Dade County, Florida, before moving to New Jersey.
“Chadd worked his way up through the ranks to lead the Commission. Under his watch, the SCI did tremendous work exposing wrongdoing and protecting New Jersey tax dollars,” said Robert Burzichelli, the senior member of the SCI. “This is a huge loss for the citizens of the State of New Jersey and for all of us on the Commission.”
Lackey was pronounced dead at a local hospital.