SEASIDE HEIGHTS – A woman originally indicted for Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder has plead guilty to a lesser charge.
Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights, pled guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter in connection with the death of Kerry Rollason, 56, of Toms River, on or about July 3, 2024, in Toms River.
At the time of her sentencing on January 31, 2025, the State will be seeking a term of 25 years New Jersey State Prison, subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act.
The charge stemmed from a standoff and two deaths in the area.
On July 5, local authorities as well as the United States Marshals Service responded to a home on Ravenwood Drive in Toms River to locate 35-year-old Maxwell Johnston of Manchester. Johnston was wanted in connection with the murder of Gabriella Caroleo, 25, of Seaside Heights, which occurred in Manchester on June 27.
During a standoff, officers successfully called out three of the occupants. Johnston and Mascarelli remained in the home, however, and officers learned that Johnston was armed.
Attempts to get Johnston to surrender himself peacefully failed, officials said. After several hours, Mascarelli exited the home and was brought to Community Medical Center in Toms River to be treated for injuries sustained throughout the standoff.
The home was ultimately cleared using a drone and Johnston was found in a bedroom, deceased, with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Police found a defaced .22 caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun in the residence.
According to officials, Mascarelli allowed Johnston to stay at the home with her for four days – despite her knowledge of Caroleo’s murder and Johnston’s alleged involvement in it.
While investigating the death of Caroleo, detectives found evidence that a murder may have been committed at the Ravenwood Drive home on or about July 3. Additionally, authorities came into possession of information indicating that evidence of that murder might be found at a property in Jackson Township.
On July 12, detectives searched the property on Toms River Road in Jackson Township and discovered numerous body parts in black bags along with additional evidence connected to the murder, including a hatchet.
A post mortem examination of the body parts led authorities to identify the victim as the owner of the Ravenwood Drive home – Kerry Rollason, 56, of Toms River. The cause of Rollason’s death was multiple gunshot wounds in addition to blunt force trauma, and the manner of death to be homicide, officials said.
On July 15, 2024, Mascarelli was initially served with the charges of Hindering Apprehension, Desecration of Human Remains, being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and Possession of a Defaced Weapon, at the Ocean County Jail.
Police now say that Mascarelli conspired with Johnston, and was, in fact, the individual responsible for Rollason’s death. It was also determined that Mascarelli assisted Johnston with dismembering Rollason.
The other three people who were in the house when the standoff began were Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat, Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick Township, and Jared Palumbo, 36, of Manchester.
Bolstad and Krysiak also assisted Johnston with dismembering Rollason’s body. Mascarelli, Bolstad, Krysiak and Palumbo assisted Johnston in disposing of the body in Jackson, police said.
Charges of Hindering Apprehension and Desecration/Disturbing of Human Remains against these three are still pending.
“Although Mascarelli was originally facing more significant charges with greater sentencing exposure, this plea agreement has been entered into in the interests of justice and with the approval of the victim’s next of kin,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
He acknowledged the efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson who is handling the case on behalf of the State, and commended the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Manchester Police, Manchester Detective Bureau, Toms River Police, Toms River Detective Bureau, Toms River Police Emergency Services Unit, Jackson Police, Ocean County Regional SWAT Team, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, United States Marshals Service, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Monmouth County Emergency Response Team, Howell Police, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Police K-9 Unit, New Jersey State Police Forensic Science Unit, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Newark Police Department, and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and collective assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Mascarelli’s guilty plea, and soon her state prison sentence.
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