Wooden board, tape dispenser, shower curtain rod — Toms River, NJ, woman pleads guilty in connection to man’s death

An Ocean County woman has pleaded guilty in connection to the death of man in 2020.

Mary Carbone of Toms River, NJ, Pleads Guilty

On Monday, 60-year-old Mary Carbone of Toms River pleaded guilty to an aggravated manslaughter charge and now potentially faces a decade in state prison.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office says on February 24th, 2020, officers with the Manchester Township Police Department responded to a home on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park neighborhood for a report of an unresponsive man. At the scene, they found the lifeless body of 55-year-old Frank Stochel of Toms River.

The following day, the Ocean County Medical Examiner labeled Stochel's death a homicide.

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An investigation revealed that Carbone and Stochel both lived at that home in Manchester Township and "several household items were utilized in the commission of the homicide," specifically, a wooden board, a heavy-duty tape dispenser, and a shower curtain rod.

Authorities eventually determined Carbone was responsible for his death and she was arrested and charged on March 4th, 2021.

"Legitimate proof issues"

As for the relatively short potential prison sentence for someone's death, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said,

Although Mary Carbone was originally facing a murder charge in connection with Mr. Stochel’s death, legitimate proof issues arose during the course of our investigation that we simply could not ignore, and which we were ethically bound to take into account in evaluating this very difficult case. We believe this to be a just and reasonable resolution after careful consideration of all the facts and circumstances. Additionally, Mr. Stochel’s family was consulted in connection with this resolution, and approved of same.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 13th.