Camden man pleads guilty in stabbing death of 41-year-old

A Camden man will serve at least 12 years in state prison after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the stabbing death of a Hamilton Township man in 2014.

As part of a plea agreement, Richard L. Ferrara, 51, will serve a sentence of 15 years in a New Jersey State prison, according to authorities. As part of the No Early Release Act, he will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence, which amounts to 12 years and 9 months, before becoming eligible for parole.

Authorities say on Aug. 14 2014, at 12:12 a.m., Hamilton Police responded to Inland Estates mobile home park after a neighbor called 911 to report finding a neighbor lying on the ground. When police and paramedics arrived, they found the victim, identified as William Strock, 41, bleeding from his torso. Authorities say he had suffered an apparent stab wound. He was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center and sucumbed to his wounds, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said.

Following the incident, Hamilton police and the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office launched an eight-month investigation and on May 7, 2015 Ferrara was charged with murder. Ferrara had been staying at the victim’s home when the incident occurred. He was arrested at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, where he was being held on an unrelated matter. He remains in custody at the jail on on $1 million full cash bail.

On Dec. 15, 2015, Ferrara was indicted by an Atlantic County Grand Jury on first degree murder, third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

His sentencing is scheduled for July 28. 2016.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.