David C Shroitman: NJ man charged with murder for killing woman by following 'step-by-step’ plan
SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY: New Jersey prosecutors charged a 27-year-old man with first-degree murder after he fatally stabbed a woman 37 times, following a step-by-step’ plan he wrote in a manifesto, authorities said. On January 30, Somerville police officers responded around 10.20 pm to a call about an unresponsive female outside an apartment complex on North Bridge Street.
The woman, identified as 27-year-old Maryrose Fealey, was suffering from multiple stab wounds. A relative found Fealey with her car door open and some of her belongings all over the front yard. First responders pronounced her dead on the scene, NJ.com reports.
David C Shroitman and the victim knew each other
Investigators with Somerville police and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office obtained a search warrant for David C Shroitman’s home and vehicle. In a press release prosecutors said that Shroitman and Fealey knew each other but did not further detail their relationship nor reveal a motive.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, investigators quickly identified Shroitman as a suspect. On Friday, February 3, police officers went to talk to Shroitman but he declined to speak with them, the affidavit said. Detectives reportedly noticed a white garbage bag over the front seat of his car along with a black gaiter and duct tape.
Surveillance video showed a man fitting Shroitman’s description and vehicle near Fealey’s home around the time of the homicide, the affidavit said.
What did the authorities find while searching David C Shroitman's home?
During the search of his home, police allegedly found a manifesto with a “step-by-step plan” to kill Fealey. They also reportedly recovered clothes similar to what was seen in the surveillance video. Some of the clothes were covered in bleach, the affidavit reportedly said.
Authorities also allegedly caught him cleaning his car. He doused it in bleach while officers also recovered a bloody latex glove nearby.
What charges does David C Shroitman face?
Prosecutors charged Shroitman with first-degree murder, possession of a weapon, tampering with physical evidence and hindering apprehension. Police took Shroitman to the Somerset County Jail where he’s being held pending a detention hearing.
Maryrose Fealey graduated in 2018
According to her obituary, Fealey grew up in Somerville and graduated in 2018 from the Rutgers Business School. “Maryrose was many things – a visual artist, anti-drug activist, entrepreneur, champion of the underdog, philanthropist, encourager, writer, and logistician,” the obituary said.
“Recently, she was enjoying her weekend work at Roman Jewelers in Bridgewater. Friends and family often described Maryrose as a ‘light’ in the room or in their day whenever they spoke of her. Her signature bright smile was unforgettable. She was one to ‘show up’ and to be supportive, bringing positive energy, willingness, and kindness to any task at hand,” it added.
She also founded nonprofits to help youth battling drug addiction. “Along with her brother Ian and her mother, she worked tirelessly and gratefully to help others and better her community,” the obituary further added.
