37 Stab Wounds, A Manifesto Discovered: New Somerville Slaying Details

SOMERVILLE, NJ — David C. Shroitman fatally stabbed 27-year-old MaryRose Fealey around 37 times outside of her townhome Jan. 30, according to police documents released Monday.

Bleach, latex gloves, and a manifesto laying out a plan step-by-step for the murder of Fealey were also found inside Shroitman's Somerville home, according to police documents.

Shroitman, 27, of Brookside Avenue, Somerville, was charged Monday with first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon, fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, and third-degree hindering apprehension in connection with the Jan. 30 stabbing death of Fealey of North Bridge Street in Somerville.

A postmortem examination was performed on Feb. 1, by the Medical Examiner’s Office, which positively identified the victim and determined the cause of death as multiple stab wounds and ruled the manner of death as homicide.

Here is the timeline of what led up to Shroitman's arrest, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Patch:

Tuesday, Jan. 30:

• At 10:20 p.m.: Somerville Police responded to a home on North Bridge Street regarding a 911 call for an unresponsive woman.
• Upon arriving, officers found Fealey with multiple apparent stab wounds. It was later revealed to be around 37 stab wounds.
• Fealey was dead by the time the officers arrived on the scene.
• Fealey was returning home from a business in Bridgewater at around 9 p.m.
• One of the victim's relatives told police that when they arrived home, the victim's front passenger door of their vehicle was open with their belongings spread throughout the front yard area.
• A relative found Fealey unresponsive with multiple stab wounds.
• During the night of the homicide, detectives developed Shroitman as a suspect by word of mouth.

Thursday, Feb. 1:

• Dash cam surveillance video shows a man in a gray sweatshirt, black face gator, and thick cushioned sneakers at around 8:59 p.m. standing at the intersection of North Bridge Street and Cliff Street Somerville. This is near the victim's residence.

Friday. Feb. 2:

• Detectives try to speak with Shroitman at a business in Bridgewater.
• Detectives see a white garbage bag over the driver’s seat of a tan Toyota Camry bearing NJ registration along with a black gator in the front passenger seat and duct tape in the rear seat.
• Shroitman declined to speak with detectives.

Sunday, Feb. 4:

• At 5:56 p.m., Somerville Police were called to a suspicious person at a business in Somerville.
• Officers encounter Shroitman, who was wearing clear latex gloves while cleaning his vehicle.
• Officers could smell the odor of bleach coming from a puddle located by the driver's side door of the Camry.
• Officers later go to East Cliff Street and locate a discarded clear latex glove with apparent blood.
• Surveillance video from a home on East Cliff Street on the night of the homicide showed a man matching the description from the dash cam video running up and down East Cliff Street at around 9:02 p.m.
• Shortly after, the man is seen running out of view of the video and a sedan matching the description of the Toyota Camry drives into view of the surveillance video down Cliff Street.
• A Telephonic Search Warrant was later granted by Judge Tober.
• A search warrant was executed at Shroitman's residence.
• During the search, numerous bleach containers are found throughout the home.
• Also located was a manifesto laying out a plan step-by-step for the homicide.
• The driver's door of the tan Toyota Camry was doused in bleach.
• Luminol spray detected blood in the entryway and bathroom area of Shroitman's home.
• Clothing and sneakers matching the man on the surveillance video were also located in Schroitman's home, some of which were also treated with bleach.

Monday, Feb. 5:

• Shroitman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, among other charges

Tuesday, Feb. 6:

• Shroitman is currently at Somerset County Jail and will remain depending on what happens at his detention hearing.
• His processing hearing will be held virtually on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
• A detention hearing will most likely be held on Friday at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Jonathan W. Romankow.

A motive has not been released, however, authorities did confirm that Shroitman knew Fealey. Shroitman graduated from Somerville High School with Fealey in 2014.

Related: Who Is David Shroitman: Man Charged In Fatal Somerville Stabbing

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.