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. In a crime story where the main victims were criminals themselves, investigators on Wednesday unearthed the dismembered remains of John Redman in an open field at 174 Asbury Road in Farmingdale,. "The finality of this is what took me by surprise," Marshall explained. Two years after the trial, Thompson sued Churchill, another investigator and then-Prosecutor Edward Turnbach for $50 million for wrongful prosecution. Toms River, New Jersey 08753, Copyright 2023 Ocean County Prosecutors Office, GUILTY VERDICT IN FATAL LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH, LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONTACT, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, KIDNAPPING, AND BURGLARY, ADDITIONAL CHARGE FILED IN CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL INCIDENT, BERKELEY TOWNSHIP BRUSH FIRE UNDER INVESTIGATION, FATAL TOMS RIVER TOWNSHIP STRUCTURE FIRE RULED ACCIDENTAL: VICTIM IDENTIFIED, TOMS RIVER WOMAN INDICTED FOR TWO COUNTS EACH OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE, STRICT LIABILITY VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT BY AUTO. 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. Each day police blotters are filled with minor crimes, the rapidly increasing violent crime, and the also growing rate of gun violence and murder. 30 years later, a confession to the 'Blind Faith' murder of Maria - nj Click Here. Over the years, it was made into a true crime novel, called "Blind Faith" by Joe McGinniss and a TV mini-series. Now closing the case for good seemed within reach. 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. 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. [11] On May 12, 2006, Prosecutor Thomas F. Kelaher declined to retry the death-penalty phase of the case, citing as reasons the difficulty in presenting evidence more than 20 years after the crime, and the probability of many more legal appeals should Marshall be sentenced to death again. with your family. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. Toms River NJ Irish Festival to be held downtown. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. The body of mafioso Angelo Sonnessa was found buried beneath a chicken coup on the farm. 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. "And I got that.". Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Marshall, 75, who had been in prison since December 1984, had been scheduled. TOMS RIVER - At dinner last week, Chris and Roby Marshall grappled with the unthinkable: Their father actually might be paroled from jail in the murder of their mother. Whenever Thompsons name came up, Churchill said, he told Scott, "If you hear anything about Maria Marshall, Id love to talk to this guy.". Ritacco, in perception, had brought the Toms River School District into a Golden Age by turning the district into a profitable business. He was convicted of capital murder on March 5, 1986. The main reason for Thompsons acquittal in the Maria Marshall murder was an alibi sworn testimony from three family members that Thompson was in Louisiana on Sept. 7, 1984. He died in South Woods State Prison on February 21, 2015. Although Thompson beat the murder charge in 1986, two men were convicted in connection with her death. NJ mobsters: 8 notorious Jersey Shore wise guys - Asbury Park Press Though lower courts initially rejected his argument, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph E. Irenas ruled on April 8, 2004 in Camden, New Jersey that Marshall received ineffective assistance from his attorney during the death penalty phase of his trial. The River Murders: Directed by Rich Cowan. Cases New Jersey Girl Murders 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. Violent crimes in Toms River are 77% lower than the national average. 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. [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. The City-Data.com crime index weighs serious crimes and violent crimes more heavily. 4 Dead in New Jersey Rampage; Ex-Officer Is Held Her murdered, Shawn Milne received a 30-year prison sentence for the murder. According to our analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Toms River is 1 in 105. [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. Behind the headlines: N.J.'s notorious mob slayings - nj.com Madonna would park a car full of heroin in a Manhattan parking lot, which would be picked up by Barnes. FATAL TOMS RIVER TOWNSHIP STRUCTURE FIRE RULED ACCIDENTAL: VICTIM IDENTIFIED February 18, 2023 TOMS RIVER WOMAN INDICTED FOR TWO COUNTS EACH OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE, STRICT LIABILITY VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND ASSAULT BY AUTO February 16, 2023 ISLAND HEIGHTS POLICE DETECTIVE CHARGED WITH FALSE REPORT, CONTEMPT & WEAPON OFFENSES February 14, 2023 But it is not the only murder case from Ocean County that has garnered national headlines. After 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury sentenced him to death. Property Victims in Deadly Toms River Hookah Lounge Shooting Identified If you drive down Cook Road in Jackson, youll see an unassuming faded yellow farmhouse surrounded by newer homes and a large new residential development. On the night of September 7, 1984, insurance broker Marshall and his wife, Maria, were traveling home from Atlantic City, New Jersey capital murder for the murder-for-hire on March 5, 1986 and sentenced to death by lethal injection. Due to privacy rights, the Records Division does not release information regarding police reports over the telephone. Recommended Stories. All rights reserved (About Us). Reflects 2021 calendar year; released from FBI in Oct. 2022 (latest available). 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 . To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. For murdering his childhood friend, McAtasney was convicted and received a sentence of life in prison without parole. Crime. TOMS RIVER, NJ - The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office today officially identified the three victims of Saturday night's fatal shooting at a Silverton hookah lounge. #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. The hope was that, with Churchill there, the informant might also open up about Louisianas cold case. New Jersey Governor Corzine abolished the death penalty in 2007 and Marshalls sentence became a life sentence. 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. Irish Festival today in Toms River's downtown - yahoo.com 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. 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. The injuries sustained by Mr. Stochel were consistent with the implementation of these items. [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. All defendants in crime reports are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Toms River Woman Indicted for Murder - Ocpo Federal prosecutors also tied the Lucchese enterprise to the murders of two Bonanno crime family members in 2012 and 2013 and the attempted murder of a witness in 2016. https://ocponj.gov/monroe-township-man-charged-with-murder/, TOMS RIVER MAN INDICTED ON TWO COUNTS OF MURDER "Due to (federal) HIPAA regulations, we cannot provide a cause of death, although certainly no foul play is suspected," Schuman said. She introduced Roby to actress Tracey Gold, who had costarred with Kerns on the TV series Growing Pains. On April 24, Churchill was on a plane to Louisiana. 0:00. It was November of 1985 and I was in Mr. Jaegers art class at Toms River Intermediate East when we realized Barbara Renee Harrison was never coming back to class. McAtasney told police he and Sarah were friends and that she was troubled and wanted to get away. Uncle Scoopy's Movie House. 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. Cold Case NJ: Toms River murders remain unsolved after 48 years It turned out, it was he who strangled the teenager and stole a safe from her home. In 2002 Marshall wrote the book Tunnel Vision: Trial & Error, in which he challenged the conclusions McGinniss drew in Blind Faith. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Updated annually. Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy Michael G. brings 40 years of law enforcement experience to the Sheriff's Office. He's no longer a drain on anyone.". Mary Ann and Lorraine were found five days after. https://ocponj.gov/accreditation-assessment-team-invites-public-comment/, MONROE TOWNSHIP MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER Then, last October, Scott telephoned Churchill with a question. admin commented on Get the Latest News & Alerts from the Toms River Police Department. [4][14][15][16], "Robert O. 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. Man Held in Killings Is Described as a Recluse - The New York Times 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. 5 Unforgettable Crimes at the Jersey Shore and the Criminals Who Robert O. Marshall, 75, formerly of Toms River, who was also known as Prisoner No. Fifteen of the defendants charged were taken into custody on Wednesday. The defendants allegedly used violence and threats of violence, as the mob always has, to make illegal money, to enforce discipline in the ranks, and to silence witnesses. Milne was released from prison in 2015 after serving his full 30-year sentence. 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. With a March 2015 parole hearing pending, Marshall died in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey on February 21, 2015. He stated that he awoke to find his wife with two gunshot wounds, dead across the front seat. City-data.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site. "His earliest parole date would be Oct. 11, 2071," said Pam Laborde, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Toms River Annual Crimes Violent Crime Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents) 20 15 10 5 0 0.75 1.68 National Median: 4 Toms River New Jersey My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Violent Crime 1 in 1,326 in Toms River 1 in 595 in New Jersey Toms River VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 92,830 United States VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 331,888,310 Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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. Police reports are obtained through the Records Division of the Police Department. This made Marshall, incarcerated since his arrest, eligible for parole in 2014. 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. Cumber introduced Marshall to McKinnon at an Atlantic City casino in June 1984. New Jersey 'Torso Killer' admits he tied up, raped, drowned - PIX11 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. 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. The couple pulled into the Oyster Creek service area in Lacey Township. Chris Marshall exclusive interview: 'Defend our mom' - Asbury Park Press The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. On his Facebook page this weekend, Christopher Marshall posted a quote from the 2005 novel The Zahir by author Paulo Coelho. The story is about a man who searches for his missing wife and embarks on a journey of self-discovery in the process. Key findings. https://nj.gov/njsp/memoriam/1930s/ignatz.shtml, New Jersey State Police Press Conference https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1MYxNgADAjoKw, Today we remember Trooper John Madden #383. 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. How does Toms River fare compared to other communities in New Jersey of all population sizes? 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. For him, all those years ago, that anecdote underscored how cold-blooded Marshall really was. September 1, 2022. Maria,. We will never forget. Blind Faith (book) - Wikipedia In Toms River you have a 1 in 88 chance of becoming a victim of crime. It was higher than in 35.5% U.S. cities. The district built an arena that carried his name and held large concerts with top entertainment acts, a restaurant in the district administrative offices, and the purchase of a three-story office building which it leases out to private commercial tenants. Cumber was convicted of being an accomplice to murder and sentenced to life in prison. 1 min read. TOMS RIVER -- St. Patrick's . In a stunning admission that many in New Jersey law enforcement thought might never come, Larry Thompson, a 72-year-old inmate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, confessed last month to being the triggerman in the infamous murder-for-hire death of Toms River socialite Maria Marshall in September 1984, authorities said. Click Here. with your family. 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.