Toms River's crime rate is lower than approximately 41% of New Jersey communities. Recommended Stories. At the same time, there is this 'vindictive happiness' that he's gone now. Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@app.com. [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. The house was recently on the real estate market after the passing of Joseph Celso who owned the farm from that time until he died in 2013. The victims are all women and have all slept with him except for one, and that . 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. Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents), Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents). The Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death to be a homicide. On April 7, Louisiana authorities sent Churchill an affidavit signed by Thompson acknowledging his involvement in the Marshall case. 2008-2023 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd. Co. All rights reserved. Toms River NJ Irish Festival to be held downtown. Early last year, investigators from Louisiana called the 70-year-old former lawman, now semi-retired, to talk about the Marshall case. NJ Anchor Property Tax Rebate Deadline is Today, Participate and Celebrate National Pet Day, More Than 7K Take the Plunge in Seaside for the Special Olympics, Two Unsolved Murders in Toms River from 1974 Are Still Under Investigation, READ MORE: NY TIMES - 2 SLAYINGS SPAWN TOMS RIVER FEAR, TRENDING NOW: Nicole Nelson, Missing Woman from Jackson, NJ Has Been Located, State Funding to Toms River Schools To Be Reduced by $14.4 Million in 20232024, Get the Latest News & Alerts from the Toms River Police Department. Violent crimes in Toms River are 77% lower than the national average. While investigating a series of murders, a homicide detective becomes the prime suspect when the FBI uncovers his close personal ties to all the victims. The story is about a man who searches for his missing wife and embarks on a journey of self-discovery in the process. In December of 2016, teenager Sarah Stern went missing. 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. (NJ Department of Corrections) NEW! TOMS RIVER . 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. The Shreveport district attorney also announced Larry Thompsons indictment in the alleged murder-for-hire death of Deanna Montgomery 35 years ago. https://ocponj.gov/monroe-township-man-charged-with-murder/, TOMS RIVER MAN INDICTED ON TWO COUNTS OF MURDER It turns out Ritacco was also taking bribes. Higher means more crime, U.S. average is 270.6. Marshall, an insurance man, said he noticed a lurking sedan when he checked his tires at Oyster Creek. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. We will never forget. 2020 TomsRiver.org All Rights Reserved. TOMS RIVER -- St. Patrick's . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Unless otherwise stated, photos Big Stock Photography Dreamstime Photos Google Maps Thompson Reuters. 8,376,755. Enjoy the Best of Toms River Restaurants and Local Dining. Toms River is safer than 73% of the cities in the United States. [10] The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision on November 2, 2005. After a two-week trial in Louisiana, a jury found no liability on the part of the lawmen. He testified that he was hired by Marshall to kill his wife and that he and the gunman, Larry Thompson, had lain in wait for the Marshalls at the rest stop, where Thompson had committed the murder. [7][10] In 2002, he wrote the book Tunnel Vision: Trial & Error, in which he challenged the conclusions McGinniss drew in Blind Faith. 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.". Then, last October, Scott telephoned Churchill with a question. [6], Marshall was convicted of capital murder for the murder-for-hire on March 5, 1986 and sentenced to death by lethal injection. Rest in peace, sir. 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. 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. As it turns out, a cold case 1,400 miles away in Louisiana helped Churchill cross that item off his list. With Ray Liotta, Gisele Fraga, Michael Rodrick, Sarah Ann Schultz. "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. 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? 2C:11-3a(1), relative to the death of Frank Stochel in Manchester Township on February 24, 2020. Things We Did in the 80s That Are Completely Unacceptable Today, 10 Halloween Costumes That Might Offend Your Woke Neighbors in 2020, 10 Department Stores New Jerseyans Grew Up With in the 80s, But Are Now Gone. 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. The New Jersey State Police is committed to protect and preserve. In Toms River you have a 1 in 88 chance of becoming a victim of crime. It was adapted into an Emmy-nominated 1990 TV miniseries of the same name starring Robert Urich as Marshall and Joanna Kerns as Maria. Authorities have charged a 39-year-old Toms River man with the shooting death of two men in a Lakewood apartment complex on Sunday morning. 203062, likely succumbed to complications from a debilitating stroke he suffered over the summer, according to. The prime suspect in the shooting is veteran Seaside Heights police officer Edward Lutz. Marshall filed a petition arguing that his lawyer had not met minimal constitutional standards. Maria and Robert Marshall on vacation in 1984 - one month before she was killed at a picnic area alongside the Garden State Parkway in a crime that became known as the "Blind Faith" murder case. On April 24, Churchill was on a plane to Louisiana. Rest in peace, sir. 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 . Richard O'Connor, 63, Staten Island, N.Y. Robert Camilli, 60, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. City-data.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site. Case narratives of over 25 unsolved murders of girls, teenagers and women in New Jersey, 1960-1980. According to our research of New Jersey and other state lists, there were 82 registered sex offenders living in Toms River, New Jersey as of March 04, 2023. Yesterday, Churchill said he told one of Marshalls three sons, Christopher, about the newest development. 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. 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. 2C:39-5d, and Tampering with Physical Evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. He later dumped her body into the river off of the bridge. 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. Updated annually. The River Murders: Directed by Rich Cowan. [5], During the six-week trial, Marshall revealed that he was planning to leave his wife and had hired a private investigator to determine if Maria was consulting with a divorce lawyer, and to determine the whereabouts of over $15,000 of missing casino winnings. 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. [citation needed], Though sentenced to death, Marshall remained on death row for many years (the State of New Jersey had not executed anyone since 1963). Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. In April 2014, while incarcerated for other crimes, Thompson admitted to having committed the murder of Maria Marshall. 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. 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. Robert O. Marshall, 75, the "Blind Faith" killer, who was convicted of arranging the murder of his wife, Maria, in 1984, has died, according to his son. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); NJSP - State Police Richard Codey in 2006.) The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. Steven Crea Sr., who was the underboss; DiNapoli, the consiglieri and Madonna had long careers in the Luchese family, spanning decades, according to law enforcement officials. Robert O. Marshall, 75, formerly of Toms River, who was also known as Prisoner No. People noted that their younger brother John had, conversely, always believed in Marshall's innocence. This means Toms River is one of the safest places in America in which to live for its size, a very important finding. His first parole hearing will be in December. McAtasney told police he and Sarah were friends and that she was troubled and wanted to get away. In 2002 Marshall wrote the book Tunnel Vision: Trial & Error, in which he challenged the conclusions McGinniss drew in Blind Faith. @NJSP In 2006, with a moratorium on the death penalty in New Jersey, Marshall was resentenced to life imprisonment with no parole for 30 years. It turned out, it was he who strangled the teenager and stole a safe from her home. Marshall, 75, who had been in prison since December 1984, had been scheduled. 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. Enjoy the Best of Toms River Restaurants and Local Dining. The book was adapted into an Emmy-nominated 1990 TV miniseries of the same name starring Robert Urich and Joanna Kerns. "The finality of this is what took me by surprise," Marshall explained. The case spawned a best-selling book, "Blind Faith," and a subsequent TV movie of the same name. September 1, 2022. Where is 2022 data? 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. Due to privacy rights, the Records Division does not release information regarding police reports over the telephone. Madonna would park a car full of heroin in a Manhattan parking lot, which would be picked up by Barnes. The 2019 Toms River crime rate fell by 5% compared to 2018. The NeighborhoodScout search engine is covered under US Patents No. "Did you fire the two shots that killed Maria Marshall?" No portions of this website may be reproduced, retransmitted, copied, or republished without expressed written . Carbone was also [] Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In 1964, the body of a man who was set to testify against the mafia, Anthony Scanella was found in the woods in Jackson. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). (Thompson is incarcerated in the Angola prison for armed robbery and attempted murder of a policeman. McKinnon pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy and was sentenced to five years in prison (he served one). Maria Marshall, 42, was shot twice at close range in the back on Sept. 7, 1984, during a staged robbery at what was then a picnic area on a forested median strip of the Garden State Parkway in Lacey. Madonna's career in organized crime goes all the way back to the 50s. Solving that piece of the murder had been on his bucket list ever since, he added. One's chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime here is one in 1326, which is a violent crime rate of 1 per one thousand inhabitants. No portions of this website may be reproduced, retransmitted, copied, or republished without expressed written consent from Shore News Media & Marketing, LLC. 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. Churchill asked whether he presented an alibi from people he knew were lying. This made Marshall, incarcerated since his arrest, eligible for parole in 2014. The case became nationally known in part because of the Joe McGuinniss best-seller Blind Faith and the television miniseries that came out based on the book. (His sentence was commuted by Gov. The resolution of the case was also personal for Churchill. On August 18, 2006, Marshall was resentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in eight years. Dead End at Toms River: A Bizarre Murder Mystery In Philadelphia Magazine (1970-1980), Uncategorized on February 2, 2011 at 9:41 am A BLOODY INQUEST INTO THE MUTILATION CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY By Maury Z. Ultimately, the eldest sons, Roby and Christopher Marshall, who were 19 and 18 respectively at the time of their mother's death, came to terms with their father's guilt. 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. 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. Fifteen of the defendants charged were taken into custody on Wednesday. Several Lucchese family mobsters who were arrested were also implicated in the November 2013 killing of notorious mob hitman. You could hear their wings flapping a few hundred All defendants in crime reports are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Besides Marshall, the other two were Robert Cumber of Bossier City, La., and Billy Wayne McKinnon, a former Louisiana sheriffs officer. However, NeighborhoodScout analyzed all cities and towns in America with a similar population size to Toms River, and we found that the crime rate in Toms River is one of the lowest in the nation for its size. He did just that on Thursday, beginning with the photograph of Maria Marshall on his bulletin board. #dailyvoice #cliffviewpilot #njsp #policeinvolved https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/lyndhurst/news/nj-troopers-justified-in-shooting-driver-from-poconos-who-shot-dog-grand-jury-rules/857983/#880, Prayers to the #NJSP Trooper who was wounded in the line of duty last night well wishes for a speedy recovery @NJSP, Keep the NJ State Trooper who was wounded overnight in your prayers. While today, its a quiet neighborhood street, residents in the neighborhood still wonder what lies beneath the ground. But it is not the only murder case from Ocean County that has garnered national headlines. But nothing concrete developed on the Maria Marshall murder until Larry Scott called Churchill again last month. Thats because, in 1967, the FBI led then by J. Edgar Hoover descended upon the Cook farm and uncovered a mafia burial ground. Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Meghan ONeill who is handling the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutors Office High Tech Crimes Unit, Ocean County Prosecutors Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Manchester Township Police Department, Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, Ocean County Medical Examiners Office, Santa Rosa County (Florida) Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Unit, Westchester County (New York) Police Department, and Oneida County (New York) Sheriffs Department, for their collective and cooperative assistance in this investigation resulting in todays indictment. It was higher than in 35.5% U.S. cities. "Yesterday I took it down, put it in the file and closed the file because I dont have to be concerned with it anymore," he said. We will never forget. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. 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. 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. For him, all those years ago, that anecdote underscored how cold-blooded Marshall really was. 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. ". NeighborhoodScout provides exclusive crime risk analytics for every neighborhood in America with up to 98% predictive accuracy. Because of double jeopardy, he cannot be tried a second time for the murder of Maria Marshall.). 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. Seaside Park Humpback Whale's Death Under Investigation, Toms River Rt. 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 . Harrison sat across the large art table from me that year and we were all in shock to learn she had been murdered and her body dumped in Goose Creek along Fischer Boulevard. "We always knew he got off because of a lot of people lying," Churchill said yesterday. Through the 60s and 70s Madonna engaged in a scheme to import and distribute heroin with infamous Harlem drug lord Nicky Barnes, according to a Daily News article from 1999. 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. 22h ago. On February 25, 2020, the Ocean County Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination of Mr. Stochels body. 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. 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. a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. Milne was released from prison in 2015 after serving his full 30-year sentence. He thought she was getting ready to file for divorce because he was dating Saraan Kraushaar, the vice principal at Pinelands Regional High School. 0:00. Although double jeopardy precludes Thompson from being tried again, his earliest possible parole date under his current sentence is 2071. Murder Mystery Totally 80s Dinner Theater at the Historic Mathis House. with your 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. He claimed that when he and his wife pulled over at the Oyster Creek picnic area in Lacey Township (which was closed at the time), he noticed the right rear tire was flat. "His earliest parole date would be Oct. 11, 2071," said Pam Laborde, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Trying to reconcile the two Robert Marshalls he knew left Chris Marshall feeling introspective and at times pensive over what was, what was lost and what will never be. Toms River, NJ - Crime is a daily occurrence in any society, even in the relative safety and remoteness of the Jersey Shore. He died in South Woods State Prison on February 21, 2015. Chris Marshall, the middle son, confirmed his father's death on Monday, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, the victim of the homicide that occurred at has been identified as Nymere Tinsley, 25 . Two years after the trial, Thompson sued Churchill, another investigator and then-Prosecutor Edward Turnbach for $50 million for wrongful prosecution. He threw the gun off a bridge and he tossed Maria Marshalls purse onto the side of the road on the Garden State Parkway. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Find fun things to do in Toms River, NJ Upon arrival, Officers found the lifeless body of Mr. Stochel lying on the floor of the residence. Property "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. See the the most wanted criminals from Toms River, Ocean County, NJ. Violent crimes such as assault, rape, murder and armed robbery happen less often in Toms River than in most of America. Maria,. Click Here. Please check out our social media channels. Ritacco has since been released from federal prison. All defendants in crime reports are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 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 . Since the day after Marshalls conviction 28 years ago, Jim Churchill, then a lieutenant in the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, said he has kept a 4-by-4-inch photograph of Maria Marshall with him wherever he goes, sometimes on a bulletin board, or on his desk, but never very far away a daily reminder to him and so many others that the case wasnt really closed. He wasnt handcuffed or shackled. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Having worked his way up the ranks of the Toms River Police Department, Mastronardy was named Chief of the Department in November 1992. Churchill said he asked. The hope was that, with Churchill there, the informant might also open up about Louisianas cold case. Toms River has an overall crime rate of 10 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. Each day police blotters are filled with minor crimes, the rapidly increasing violent crime, and the also growing rate of gun violence and murder. Madonna, who was the Lucchese family acting boss, and DiNapoli were indicted in 2010 for racketeering, leading an organized New Jersey-based crime ring and other crimes by a state grand jury as part of "Operation Heat," according to the New Jersey attorney general's office. A day before the announcement of Thompsons confession from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, the Caddo Parish District Attorneys Office announced the arrest of James Montgomery on second-degree murder charges in the death of his wife on Jan. 1, 1979. Carbone was arrested and charged on March 4, 2021, and has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since that date. Clothed. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Date(s) & Update Frequency: "We knew Larry Thompson was the guy, and it was a phony alibi.". [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. Several Lucchese family mobsters who were arrested were also implicated in the November 2013 killing of notorious mob hitman Michael Meldish, according to the federal indictment. 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. After a June 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision raised the standard for a defense lawyer's duty in death penalty cases, many standing death sentences began to be overturned. 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.