OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Ocean County District Attorney Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Mary Carbone, 57, of Toms River, pleaded guilty on Monday, July 8, 2024, to charges stemming from the February 24, 2020, shooting death of Frank Stochel in Manchester Township.

Carbone was initially indicted by a grand jury on October 28, 2021, on a charge of murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(1). She was also indicted on three counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4d, three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5d, and tampering with physical evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6(1).

On February 24, 2020, Manchester Township Police responded to a report of an unresponsive male at a residence on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park section. Upon arrival, officers found Mr. Stochel’s lifeless body on the floor of the residence. An autopsy performed by the Ocean County Medical Examiner on February 25, 2020, determined the cause of death to be homicide.

The investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Manchester Township Police Detective Bureau and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that Carbone and Stochel both resided at the 6th Avenue residence. Carbone used several household items, including a wooden board, a heavy-duty tape dispenser and a shower curtain rod, to commit the murder. The injuries sustained by Mr. Stochel were consistent with the use of these items. Further investigation determined that Carbone was responsible for Mr. Stochel’s death.

Carbone was arrested and charged on March 4, 2021, and has been in the Ocean County Jail since then.