Toms River Woman Sentenced To Prison For 2020 Beating Death Of Roommate

Saturday, September 14, 2024, 1:00 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

TOMS RIVER, NJ.- On Friday, a former Toms River, New Jersey woman was sentenced for the hour-long brutal beating death of her roommate and occasional boyfriend inside their Manchester Township home.     

     Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer reported that on Friday, September 13, 2024, Mary Carbone, 60, of Toms River, New Jersey, appeared in Ocean County Superior Court and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan to a term of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison in connection with the death of Frank Stochel, 55, of Toms River, New Jersey in Manchester Township, New Jersey, on February 24, 2020. 

     Carbone had previously pleaded guilty to the charge of Aggravated Manslaughter before Judge Ryan on July 8, 2024. 

     In handing down the sentence, Judge Ryan ordered Carbone’s sentence to be subject to the No Early Release Act, which would require Carbone to serve 85% of her custodial term before becoming eligible for parole.

Investigation

     The guilty plea and sentence stem from an investigation that began on February 24, 2020, when members of the Manchester Police Department responded to a residence on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park section of Manchester Township for a report of a deceased man. Upon arrival, Police Officers found the lifeless body of Mr. Stochel lying on the floor of the home. On February 25, 2020, a subsequent autopsy performed by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Mr. Stochel’s death to be a homicide.

Detective Identify Carbone

     An investigation by Ocean County law enforcement determined that Carbone and Mr. Stochel resided together in the Manchester home. Detectives further determined that several household items, such as a wooden board, a heavy-duty tape dispenser, and a shower curtain, were recovered from the scene and determined to have been used in the murder.

     Further investigation ultimately identified Carbone as the person responsible for Mr. Stochel’s death. On March 4, 2020, Carbone was taken into custody and formally charged for the death of Mr. Stotchel. Carbone was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Ocean County Jail, where she has remained since her arrest.

     “Although this defendant 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,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated. “We believe this to be a just resolution after careful consideration of all the facts and circumstances and in consultation with Mr. Stochel’s family, who approved the same,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.