Ad Executive Killed by Bomb Mailed to House In New Jersey

A top executive with one of the nation’s largest advertising firms was killed yesterday when a letter or parcel mailed to his home in North Caldwell, N.J., exploded as he opened it, law-enforcement officials said.

The executive, Thomas J. Mosser, 50, who had been promoted last Monday to the position of general manager at Young & Rubicam in Manhattan, was in his kitchen when the explosion occurred, said Clifford J. Minor, the Essex County Prosecutor.

The Associated Press reported that investigators said they had not determined a motive for the attack, which left Mr. Mosser’s wife, two children and a neighbor’s child unharmed in other rooms of the house. Officials said they did not know if it was a letter or a package that contained the explosive.

“We’re not certain as to what type of device it was,” Mr. Minor said, according to the Associated Press.

Chief James Rush of the North Caldwell Police Department said the authorities did not know where the bomb had been mailed from and had no suspects.

“It’s a first of this incident in my 25 years” with the department, Chief Rush said at a news conference last night. “I’m sure it’s shocking for everyone.”

Mr. Mosser was alone in his kitchen when the blast occurred at about 10:30 A.M. The explosion heavily damaged the kitchen, but did not damage the rest of the house, officials said.

Chief Rush said that rescue workers tried to resuscitate Mr. Mosser at the scene but that he died almost immediately.

The Essex County bomb squad searched the house and removed for examination other pieces of mail the family had received, Mr. Minor said.

“There’s no indication of any previous threats or anything that would suggest this would happen,” Mr. Minor said.

He added that officials had no reason to believe that Mr. Mosser was involved in organized crime or that he had been or was to be a witness in any criminal trial.

Mr. Minor said Mr. Mosser had recently taken a number of international trips, but added that he was not suggesting the trips had anything to do with Mr. Mosser’s death.

Mr. Mosser lived with his wife and two children, one 13 years old and and the other 15 months old.

Last night, the police blocked off access to Mr. Mosser’s house, at 15 Aspen Drive, in a relatively new and exclusive subdivision of North Caldwell. A firefighter who was at the scene but who would not give his name said, “It’s a mess up there.” Searchlights pierced the darkness of the street as officials from the Essex County Bomb Response Unit and members of local fire departments searched for other explosives around the outside of the house.

Local officials were examining the house with investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Officials from the United States Postal Service also arrived last night to assist in the investigation.

Two of Mr. Mosser’s neighbors, who had just moved into the area, said they were dumbfounded by the attack. “This is all pretty terrible,” said Michael Etkin, who was allowed by the police to enter Aspen Drive with his wife, Lori, in their car. “I can’t imagine anything like this happening here. It’s horrible.”

The Essex County Medical Examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy on Mr. Mosser today.

Mr. Mosser joined Young & Rubicam early this year after moving from London, where he had served for about a year as vice chairman and chief operating officer at Burson-Marsteller, the advertising company’s public relations subsidiary.

Peter Georgescu, Young & Rubicam’s president and chief executive officer, visited Mr. Mosser’s family after the explosion and said he was “beyond extraordinary shock” at the attack.

“Thomas was a gentleman and a friend and a brilliant contributor to the firm’s success,” Mr. Georgescu said. “My heart goes out to his wife and kids.”

He said Mr. Mosser had been with the corporation for more than 20 years in various capacities. Before being promoted to general manager, Mr. Mosser had served as an executive vice president.

Mr. Georgescu said Mr. Mosser’s family told him that the family had received no threats and had no idea why someone would want to hurt Mr. Mosser or other members of the family.