Ritacco, in perception, had brought the Toms River School District into a Golden Age by turning the district into a profitable business. There are some crimes that well never forget, either because of their deviousness, heinousness, or public impact. On February 24, 2020, Manchester Township Police responded to a residence on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park section of the Township for a report of an unresponsive male. Over the years, it was made into a true crime novel, called "Blind Faith" by Joe McGinniss and a TV mini-series. He wasnt handcuffed or shackled. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Cathy Seibel, who will hold an initial conference on Thursday at 2 p.m. As todays charges demonstrate, La Cosa Nostra remains alive and active in New York City, but so does our commitment to eradicate the mobs parasitic presence," Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said. For the first half of the interview, they talked off the record. [13][14] With his health reportedly failing in the months prior following a "debilitating stroke", Marshall died in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey on February 21, 2015. On April 24, Churchill was on a plane to Louisiana. Methodology: View 2 . All defendants arrested were scheduled to appear in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy on Wednesday. Violent (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Find fun things to do in Toms River, NJ Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@app.com. Cumber, who had introduced Marshall to McKinnon, was convicted as an accomplice and sentenced to life in prison (he was released in 2006). "I do feel a little cheated that he never took the opportunity in his declining health, in the end of his life, to say 'I'm sorry. [3][4], After a police investigation, Marshall was arrested on December 19, 1984. NEW JERSEY GIRL MURDERS 1960-1980 . Madonna would park a car full of heroin in a Manhattan parking lot, which would be picked up by Barnes. To make the crime look like a robbery, Robert Marshall had himself struck on the head and knocked unconscious as he was ostensibly checking the tire. Published May 16, 2014 TOMS RIVER, N.J. - At a picnic area on the Garden State Parkway, Robert Marshall pulled over shortly after midnight to check a tire on his white Cadillac. Although double jeopardy precludes Thompson from being tried again, his earliest possible parole date under his current sentence is 2071. The story is about a man who searches for his missing wife and embarks on a journey of self-discovery in the process. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); NJSP - State Police While pointing out flaws in the judicial process he believed failed him, Marshall also alleged that his trial was contaminated by police misconduct and compromised testimony and evidence. Tweets by Toms River Office of Emergency Management, Get the Latest News & Alerts from the Toms River Police Department. Churchill, Scott, McWilliams and Thompson had sole possession of the wardens office for the next 2 to 3 hours while Churchill took his statement. Robert Oakley Marshall (December 16, 1939 - February 21, 2015) was an American businessman who in 1984 was charged with (and later convicted of) the contract killing of his wife Maria. On April 7, Louisiana authorities sent Churchill an affidavit signed by Thompson acknowledging his involvement in the Marshall case. Click Here. Her husband, Robert O. Marshall, a once prominent and respected Toms River insurance broker, had orchestrated an elaborate murder-for-hire plot in order to collect a $1.5 million life insurance . Toms River, NJ - Crime is a daily occurrence in any society, even in the relative safety and remoteness of the Jersey Shore. Robert Marshall, a Toms River resident, and his wife Maria were heading home from a night in Atlantic City at Harrahs casino when Marshall decided to make a pit stop to check what he claimed to police officers was a vibration in one of his car tires. Angelo Prisco, Toms River Toms River resident Angelo Prisco, a reputed capo in the Genovese crime family, was sentenced to five years in federal prison in 2007 after he admitted to. The meaning of the title comes from the fact that Robert and Maria Marshall's three sons continued to believe in their father's innocence, even in the face of mounting evidence for his guilt and his increasingly bizarre behavior after their mother's death. His first parole hearing will be in December. Key findings. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy Michael G. brings 40 years of law enforcement experience to the Sheriff's Office. Save Murder Mystery Totally 80s Dinner Theater at the Historic Mathis House to your collection. Where is 2022 data? At the time of the murder, the Marshalls were an all-American, upper, middle-class family who were pillars in Toms River society. Follow, The Official Twitter account of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office (Ocean County, New Jersey), ACCREDITATION ASSESSMENT TEAM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT admin commented on Get the Latest News & Alerts from the Toms River Police Department. (New Jersey Courts via AP) Cottingham is known as the "Torso Killer" for brutally dismembering his victims by cutting off their limbs and heads. In return, the capo typically receives a share of the illegal earnings of each of his crews soldiers and associates. https://ocponj.gov/monroe-township-man-charged-with-murder/, TOMS RIVER MAN INDICTED ON TWO COUNTS OF MURDER Read more about Scout's Crime Data. 70 Crash Investigation Closes Lanes Friday Morning: DOT, Toms River Schools Hit With $14.4M State Aid Cut For 2023-24, NJ Camp Fairs at Menlo Park Mall Mar 4, 2023 - FREE to Attend (12-3PM), Raisin, The Tony-Winning Best Musical - Second Incredible Week, Un Lucky Charms Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Green Tea Matcha and Sushi Dinner Party at the Historic Mathis House, Filipino Dinner Night with Live Music at the Mathis House, Tea and Scones with the Easter Bunny at the Historic Mathis House in Downtown Toms River, Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, Firefighters Come To Kitty's Rescue In Brick, See Latest Pets Up For Adoption At Toms River Area Shelters. [7][12] With resentencing pending, Marshall faced a minimum of 30 years in prison (in which case he would have been released in 2014) and a maximum of life in prison with no possibility for release on parole before serving 30 years. We will never forget. "But for the first 18 years of my life he was my father, who supported his family, and was always there for us when we needed him.". Enjoy the Best of Toms River Restaurants and Local Dining. Raw data sources: Thanks to the Newark community for allowing me to highlight how we promote safe policing through initiatives like ARRIVE Together, violence intervention programs, and more. [4][7], During filming, Kerns became very close with the Marshalls' son Roby, who served as a consultant on the miniseries. The 2019 crime rate in Toms River, NJ is 87 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 3.1 times lower than the U.S. average. Another man served a short jail sentence in exchange for testifying for the state, and a third man was sentenced to a life term for connecting Marshall to the murder-for-hire group, all of whom hailed from Louisiana. Insurance mogul plots murder, 1984 Returning from Atlantic City to their home in Toms River on Sept. 7, 1984, prominent insurance agent Robert O. Marshall and his wife Maria pulled over to a. https://ocponj.gov/accreditation-assessment-team-invites-public-comment/, MONROE TOWNSHIP MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER Ritacco was a well-liked and powerful superintendent of the Toms River Regional Schoool District. "The purpose of me going down there was for him to say I killed Maria Marshall and the people I had for my alibi were either lying or mistaken, " Churchill said. On the night of September 7, 1984, Robert O. Marshall of Toms River, New Jersey, an insurance broker and chairman of the Ocean County Chapter of the United Way fund, and his wife Maria were traveling north on the Garden State Parkway from Harrah's in Atlantic City when, according to Marshall, he felt a vibration in one of the car's tires. In 2006, with a moratorium on the death penalty in New Jersey, Marshall was resentenced to life imprisonment with no parole for 30 years. The hope was that, with Churchill there, the informant might also open up about Louisianas cold case. 119 Hooper Avenue Toms River's crime rate is lower than approximately 41% of New Jersey communities. TOMS RIVER -- St. Patrick's . Crime risk data are updated annually. The event was eventually turned into a book and 1990 miniseries called Blind Faith. Levy ON SUNDAY THE TURKEY BUZZARDS flew low to the pines. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. We will never forget. 203062, likely succumbed to complications from a debilitating stroke he suffered over the summer, according to. Howard Johnson Stabbing In Toms River Draws 15-Year Prison Sentence An Atlantic County man pleaded guilty in the March 2021 stabbing of a woman at the Howard Johnson motel; a clerk came to the. Having worked his way up the ranks of the Toms River Police Department, Mastronardy was named Chief of the Department in November 1992. In The River Murders, Ray Liotta plays a married police detective who becomes a suspect in a series of murders in which he is the only connecting link. Mary Ann and Lorraine were found five days after. "We have charged 19 members and associates of the Luchese Crime Family, including its entire administration the street boss, underboss and consigliere with serious racketeering offenses. McKinnon was sentenced to five years for conspiracy to commit murder. Here's a full list of the Luchese family members indicted Wednesday: La Cosa Nostra operates through entities known as families. In the New York City area, those families include the Genovese, Gambino, Luchese, Bonanno, Colombo and Decavalcante families, according to federal prosecutors. He's no longer a drain on anyone.". admin commented on Get the Latest News & Alerts from the Toms River Police Department. He did just that on Thursday, beginning with the photograph of Maria Marshall on his bulletin board. He had been scheduled for a parole hearing in March. Crime : Toms River, NJ: Little Falls, NJ: United States: Violent Crime: 10.8: 11.6: 22.7: Property Crime: 35.1: 17.7: 35.4: Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) View More Data > Reviews for Toms River 0 Reviews. A country music song played on the car stereo as a Pennsylvania driver who'd just crashed into a ditch off Route 80 shot his dog and was then shot and killed by two New Jersey State Police troopers. Due to privacy rights, the Records Division does not release information regarding police reports over the telephone. Whether the killings of 14-year-old Suzanne Garden . Her murdered, Shawn Milne received a 30-year prison sentence for the murder. The number of homicides stood at 1. For Toms River, NeighborhoodScout found that the violent crime rate is well below the national average for all communities of all population sizes. The FBI raided Ritaccos home and was convicted later of taking $2,000,000 in bribes and made to pay $4.3 million in restitution to the district. Her car was found abandoned on a bridge and at the time, many had thought she jumped off and committed suicide in the Shark River. It was adapted into an Emmy-nominated 1990 TV miniseries of the same name starring Robert Urich as Marshall and Joanna Kerns as Maria. This means Toms River is one of the safest places in America in which to live for its size, a very important finding. Those indicted included four men with New Jersey ties: Brian Vaughan, 51, of Matawan; Carmine Garcia, 65, of Hawthorne; Matthew Madonna, 81, who is currently jailed in Trenton; and Joseph DiNapoli, 81, of the Bronx. The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. It turns out Ritacco was also taking bribes. Moreover, the rate of property crime in Toms River; burglary, larceny ($50 or more), grand theft auto, and arson; is 9 per 1,000 residents. How does Toms River fare compared to other communities in New Jersey of all population sizes? "Jim was very helpful in sharing with us the intelligence information, background information as well as trial information," said Caddo Parish District Attorney Charles Rex Scott. But nothing concrete developed on the Maria Marshall murder until Larry Scott called Churchill again last month. Then Churchill said he turned on the tape recorder and began asking Thompson a series of questions designed mainly for him to answer "yes" or "no.". "For the past 30 years of my life, I have lived with the reality of having a parent who is a monster," said Chris Marshall on Monday. Convicted of arranging the murder of his wife, Maria, at a Garden State Parkway rest stop in 1984, Robert O. Marshall, 75, has died in prison. All defendants in crime reports are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Other US patent applications are currently pending. This is a breaking story. Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents), Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents). 9:10. Madonna's career in organized crime goes all the way back to the 50s. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 2C:39-5d, and Tampering with Physical Evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. "We always knew he got off because of a lot of people lying," Churchill said yesterday. While pointing out flaws in the judicial process he believed failed him, Marshall also alleged that his trial was contaminated by police misconduct and compromised testimony and evidence.[7]. Realizing the farm is where New York and North Jersey mobsters sent their bodies, the FBI and local officials began excavating the farm but never found any other bodies. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, the victim of the homicide that occurred at has been identified as Nymere Tinsley, 25 . "Did you fire the two shots that killed Maria Marshall?" Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said Monday that he too is troubled by the fact that Marshall was incapable of acknowledging his complicity in the case. Gardens Of Pleasant Plains / Homestead Run. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on June 16, 2021, Shadrach Correa, 19, Daivon Sullivan, 19, and Leyron Jones, 24, all of Toms River, were indicted by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County on the charge of Murder in violation of N.J.S.A. But if there was any doubt about whether Marshall felt regret or sorrow over what he had done to his family was illustrated in what then-Assistant Prosecutor Kevin W. Kelly revealed during Marshall's trial in 1986. The jury decided Milne sexually assaulted Harrison and killed her to cover up his crime. Upon arrival, Officers found the lifeless body of Mr. Stochel lying on the floor of the residence. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Murder Mystery Totally 80s Dinner Theater at the Historic Mathis House. Meldish was found shot dead in a car near Baisley and Ellsworth avenues in the Bronx. 203062, likely succumbed to complications from a debilitating stroke he suffered over the summer, according to officials familiar with his health issues. The Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death to be a homicide. Another body was found in an oil drum filled with hydrochloric acid. I'm sorry for what I did to your mother, I'm sorry for how hard this has been on you and your brothers.' YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The mob members and associates charged today will answer for their alleged misdeeds in a court of law.. He was released from prison in . How would he like to sit in on an interview Louisiana officials were planning to hold with an informant Churchill had used decades ago in the Marshall case? After Maria's death, Marshall, a once prominent and respected Toms River insurance broker, planned to collect a $1.5 million payout on her life insurance policy and then be free to legitimize an extramarital affair. 8,376,755. Marshall, an insurance man, said he noticed a lurking sedan when he checked his tires at Oyster Creek. Seaside Park Humpback Whale's Death Under Investigation, Toms River Rt. However, the same jury acquitted the alleged hit man in the killing, Larry N. Thompson, who admitted in a dramatic jailhouse confession last year that he was in fact the trigger man in the case. Shawn Milne, who will be released from prison Nov. 14 after serving a 30 year sentence for the 1985 murder and rape of 13-year-old Barbara Harrison. He was eligible for parole at the time of his death Saturday and the state Parole Board seemed poised to grant him his last request due to his failing health. Churchills interest was piqued and he said he chatted about every two months with Caddo Parish District Attorneys investigator Larry Scott about developments in the Louisiana case. [4] Until his removal from New Jersey's death row, Marshall had been the longest-serving inmate there since the state reinstated the death penalty in 1982. You could hear their wings flapping a few hundred Toms River crime rates are 42% lower than the national average Violent crimes in Toms River are 84% lower than the national average In Toms River you have a 1 in 68 chance of becoming a victim of crime Toms River is safer than 71% of the cities in the United States. In the last 5 years Toms River has seen rise of violent crime and decreasing property crime. Marshall had been incarcerated in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, where he was pronounced dead at 7:14 a.m. Saturday, said Matthew Schuman, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections. Yesterday, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office announced Thompsons confession, essentially closing the case. In 2002 Marshall wrote the book Tunnel Vision: Trial & Error, in which he challenged the conclusions McGinniss drew in Blind Faith. Thompson was found not guilty of the crime in 1986, but Robert Marshall, Marias husband, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to death. On August 18, 2006, Marshall was resentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in eight years. The prosecution theorized that Marshall had hired two men to kill his wife so that he could collect on a $1.5 million insurance policy. The tire itself was slashed at the scene to appear as if the vehicle had been sabotaged in Atlantic City by robbers who had planned to follow the couple home until the flat tire forced them to pull over in a remote location such as the Oyster Creek picnic area. In July of 2016, Milne was arrested and charged by the Toms River Police Department for failing to register as a sex offender, required by law in New Jersey. It turned out, it was he who strangled the teenager and stole a safe from her home. Thompson himself was acquitted of murder charges in 1986 due to testimony from family members that he was in Louisiana at the time of the killing. Marshall, 75, who had been in prison since December 1984, had been scheduled. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Unless otherwise stated, photos Big Stock Photography Dreamstime Photos Google Maps Thompson Reuters. Carbone was also indicted on three counts of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. While returning home from a night out at Harrah's casino in Atlantic City that night, the Marshalls stopped at the picnic area after Robert Marshall pretended there was a problem with the right rear tire on their 1980 Cadillac Eldorado. Carbone was arrested and charged on March 4, 2021, and has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since that date. https://abc7ny.com/nj-state-trooper-shot-in-paterson;-1-suspect-in-custody/12902639/, An intoxicated driver was believed responsible for a horrific crash predawn crash Monday involving an SUV and a garbage truck on westbound Route 80 in Bergen County. Marshall said he does feel cheated that his father could not bring himself, in the face of his own mortality, to accept responsibility for what he had done to his family. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Toms River. Case narratives of over 25 unsolved murders of girls, teenagers and women in New Jersey, 1960-1980. TOMS RIVER, NJ - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has repeatedly stuck to his guns, saying the increase in whale deaths at the Jersey Shore is not related . 22h ago. They said they had an even older, unsolved murder, from 1979, and it was eerily similar to that of Maria Marshall. After distributing the drugs, Barnes would fill the car with cash and return it to Madonna, according to the article. 2C:28-6(1). A 70-year-old retired Newark policeman fatally shot his 22-year-old granddaughter and three neighbors on his block here this afternoon, then put his pistol down and surrendered quietly to the. The resolution of the case was also personal for Churchill. He thought she was getting ready to file for divorce because he was dating Saraan Kraushaar, the vice principal at Pinelands Regional High School. with your family. When Robert O. Marshall, the Toms River insurance salesman who was convicted of the murder-for-hire of his wife, Maria, in 1984, died in prison this week, there were many people who shared memories -- of the case, of Maria, and of the couples three sons. [7][10] In 2002, he wrote the book Tunnel Vision: Trial & Error, in which he challenged the conclusions McGinniss drew in Blind Faith. Milne was released from prison in 2015 after serving his full 30-year sentence. The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. It turned out, she didnt commit suicide but was brutally murdered by her former classmate Liam McAtasney. Churchill said he asked. https://ocponj.gov/toms-river-man-indicted-on-two-counts-of-murder/, OCEAN COUNTY LAUNCHES SPECIAL NEEDS REGISTRY The operation lasted until Madonna's arrest in 1975, according to the Daily News. Now let us turn to take a look at how Toms River does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. Thompson, now in his 70s, acknowledged his role while incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola for his part in an unrelated armored-car robbery and the attempted murder of a Shreveport police officer years later. a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. "His earliest parole date would be Oct. 11, 2071," said Pam Laborde, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Corrections. 0:00. Clothed. Forensic characteristics: Strangled with her own belt. With Ray Liotta, Gisele Fraga, Michael Rodrick, Sarah Ann Schultz. Visit the most wanted page to view the most recent arrest photos. Toms River, NJ Crime is a daily occurrence in any society, even in the relative safety and remoteness of the Jersey Shore. While today, its a quiet neighborhood street, residents in the neighborhood still wonder what lies beneath the ground. Each family operates through groups of individuals known as crews and regimes. Each crew has as its leader, a person known as a caporegime, capo, captain or skipper, who is responsible for supervising the criminal activities of his crew and providing soldiers and associates with support and protection. Each day police blotters are filled with minor crimes, the rapidly increasing violent crime, and the also growing rate of gun violence and murder. The Shreveport district attorney also announced Larry Thompsons indictment in the alleged murder-for-hire death of Deanna Montgomery 35 years ago. 2008-2023 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd. Co. All rights reserved. Enjoy the Best of Toms River Restaurants and Local Dining. Take our quiz and see if you remember these cases, whose victims should never be forgotten. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. [4][7][8], The Marshall case attracted the attention of true crime author Joe McGinniss, whose book on the case, Blind Faith, was published in 1989 and became a bestseller. During the trial, Milne said he was the victim, attacked by a worldly young girl. For him, all those years ago, that anecdote underscored how cold-blooded Marshall really was. The indictment covers actions by the Luchese family committed between 2000 until May of this year, federal prosecutors said, but many of those indicted were long-time members of the mafia. But it is not the only murder case from Ocean County that has garnered national headlines. Several of the accused Lucchese members arrested had colorful nicknames such as Paul "Paulie Roast Beef" Cassano, James "Jimmy the Jew" Maffucci and Joseph "Joey Glasses" Datello all considered "soldiers" of the family. The 2019 Toms River crime rate fell by 5% compared to 2018. The injuries sustained by Mr. Stochel were consistent with the implementation of these items. Robert O. Marshall, 75, formerly of Toms River, who was also known as Prisoner No. Our nationally-comparable school ratings are covered under US Patent No. The investigation further revealed that several household items were used by Ms. Carbone in the commission of the homicide; specifically, a wooden board, a heavy duty tape dispenser, and a shower curtain rod were recovered from the scene. TOMS RIVER -- A state appeals court today upheld the conviction of a man found guilty of carjacking a Middletown teacher who secretly recorded their conversation before she was killed, but reduced . . Marshall claimed he was knocked unconscious and woke not only to find his $15,000 winnings from Atlantic City gone, but his wife was shot dead in the front seat of his car with two gunshot wounds. On the plane ride back to Shreveport from Angola last month, Scott turned to Churchill and said, "I guess you can cross that off your bucket list.". NeighborhoodScout provides exclusive crime risk analytics for every neighborhood in America with up to 98% predictive accuracy. By 8 the following morning, he, Scott and Assistant Caddo Parish District Attorney J. Ford McWilliams from the Louisiana attorney generals office were on a single-engine plane taking a 90-minute trip out to Angola State Prison. In the summer of 1984, Marshall had arranged the execution of his wife and the mother of his three sons, Maria Marshall, in an elaborate murder-for-hire scheme. McKinnon, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy, testified that Marshall hired him to kill his wife and that he and Thompson drove ahead of Marshalls Cadillac Eldorado to the Oyster Creek Picnic area off the Garden State Parkway on Sept. 7, 1984, where Thompson, he said, shot and killed Maria Marshall. The case spawned a best-selling book, "Blind Faith," and a subsequent TV movie of the same name. Occasionally the inmate elaborated on his answers, talking about details that corroborated what McKinnon had told investigators three decades ago, Churchill said. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.