Neighbors saw no warning signs — NJ court murder case tells far darker story

✅Court documents say Michael Kless wrote of a 'hatred' of his wife

✅Police found Stacy E. Kless dead in the basement of the couple's home

✅Neighbors said they never saw signs of trouble in the couple's relationship

OCEAN TOWNSHIP (Monmouth) — The man charged with killing his wife hated her and was having an affair with a woman in Central America, according to chilling details revealed in court documents.

The affidavit tells a story that is contrary to what friends and neighbors said about the couple. Many, including Ocean Township Mayor John P. Napolitani Sr., told the Asbury Park Press that they did not see any signs of trouble in their relationship.

"No words for the tragedy that struck our community this morning. We lost a neighbor, co-worker, mom, grandmom, mother, and a lot of us lost a friend," Napolitani said on Wednesday.

Messages and calls lead cops to homicide — and suspect

After arresting Michael A. Kless, 67, investigators pieced together what they say was a murder that had been building for years. Michael and Stacy E. Kless were married in 1987.

The couple's children also turned over text messages that prosecutors say contained admissions from their father that he had killed their mother. The texts, the emails Kless had sent and statements from witnesses became key pieces of evidence supporting the murder charge.

According to the affidavit, the case began to unravel around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, when a relative called Ocean Township police and reported that Kless had confessed to killing his wife and planned to take his own life. Minutes later, another call came in from a family member who told police that Kless had emailed him admitting he had murdered his mother.

When officers forced their way into the Seward Drive home to check on the couple, they found Stacy Kless dead in the basement. Investigators said a barbell was resting across her neck and throat. She was pronounced dead later that morning. The criminal complaint says she had been strangled and that the barbell had been used as a weapon.

Escape from justice and life ends in arrest

As police searched for Kless, authorities tracked his vehicle traveling north on the Garden State Parkway. Kless later contacted a relative and said he was at a rest stop trying to overdose on medication. State Police found him there and took him into custody after what investigators described as an unsuccessful suicide attempt.

In an email, Kless described what investigators characterized as a "long-simmering" resentment toward his wife — their affidavit quoted the word "hatred."

The affidavit also says Kless detailed an intimate relationship with a woman in Central America and included a description of the killing that matched evidence found at the scene.

Investigators also uncovered details from the hours immediately before the body was discovered. A home repair crew told detectives they had arrived at the Kless residence around 9:05 a.m. for a scheduled appointment. They said Kless met them outside with what appeared to be a scratch and blood on his face and asked to reschedule the work after refusing to let them enter.

Kless is charged with first-degree murder and third- and fourth-degree weapons offenses. He is being held at Monmouth County Jail. New Jersey 101.5 did not know Saturday whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

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