Trial Set For Dad Charged With Murder Of Barnegat Son

BARNEGAT, NJ — A date has been set for the trial of Christopher Gregor, charged with murder in the death of his then-six-year-old son.

Gregor's trial is set for April 23, 2024, according to Jersey Shore Online - almost exactly three years after his son, Corey Micciolo, died.

The boy was in his father's custody at the time he died on April 2, 2021. According to Jersey Shore Online, Gregor has been offered a plea deal of 30 years in jail with no early release, but it is not known if he will accept it. The trial should take about six weeks.

The case has attracted attention all over the world as Corey's mother, Breanna Micciolo, has repeatedly accused the state of failing to protect her son. A lawsuit filed against the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency by Breanna says that she had reported her son's abuse by his father multiple times, but they failed to properly protect him.

Gregor had not been present in Corey's life until the boy was four, and there was an extensive history of custodial issues between Gregor and Micciolo and a history of child abuse allegations by both.

Investigation revealed that Gregor had abused his son in a March 20, 2021 incident where Corey was made to run on a treadmill by Gregor, who repeatedly adjusted the speed which caused the boy to fall off, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Patch. Read More: Ongoing Abuse Preceded NJ 6-Year-Old's Death: Affidavit

Gregor's attorney, Mario Gallucci, has denied that Gregor abused his son.

Blunt impact injuries of the chest and abdomen caused bruises and lacerations to the heart and liver of Corey, according to Dr. Thomas Andrew, a forensic pathologist who was chief medical examiner for the state of New Hampshire for 20 years. Andrew also noted that an acute traumatic injury to the heart happened four to 12 hours before the boy's death, and that there was evidence of chronic abuse.

Directly after Gregor was told of his son's death, he left Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, telling the hospital staff he needed privacy, according to the affidavit. In the hours after Micciolo's death, Gregor searched the internet for answers to questions such as "can your phone be tracked in airplane mode" and "can my car be tracked," the affidavit said. Read More: Father Of Slain NJ Boy, 6, Fled State After His Death: Affidavit