Bridgewater Mayor 'Deeply Troubled' Over Somerville Murder Case Court Ruling

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench is speaking out against a court ruling in the Somerville murder case of MaryRose Fealey.

"Like so many members of the community, I am deeply troubled by the court's recent ruling that the individual charged in the tragic killing of MaryRose Fealey is unfit to stand trial," said Moench on Tuesday. "While I understand the legal complexities involved in these determinations, it is difficult to reconcile this decision with the profound sense of loss and the need for justice that so many in our community feel."

Moench's statement follows Somerset County Superior Judge Peter Tober's ruling from April 3 that David C. Shroitman, 27, of Somerville - accused of fatally stabbing anti-drug activist 27-year-old MaryRose Fealey 37 times in 2024 - was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Since the ruling, "The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a Motion for Reconsideration with the trial judge who issued the ruling," said Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office(SCPO) Deputy Chief Frank Roman, with no further comment to Patch.

Moench added that he "fully supports" the SCPO's decision to seek reconsideration.

"MaryRose was a remarkable young woman who dedicated herself to supporting others — especially those struggling with addiction and adversity. Her compassion, strength, and community spirit touched countless lives, and her legacy continues to inspire," said Moench. "We owe it to her, to her loved ones, and to the ideals she lived by to see this case through with the unfaltering fortitude it deserves."

MaryRose Fealey's mother Janet Pizzelli previously told Patch that she believes Shroitman can stand trial and is mentally competent. Read More: Community Rallies To Overturn Judge's Ruling, Have Somerville Man Stand Trial For Murder

"He was working. He graduated business at Rutgers. And he had a full-time job and he had an apartment," said Pizzelli. "He got an apartment, like, five blocks from our house."

Pizzelli, who has triple-negative breast cancer, added that until there's a trial, she can't get her daughter's possessions back.

"They have her computer, her phone, all of her items. But if this takes years to go to trial, I can't have them back," said Pizzelli. "Now, as you know, this generation, everything is on their computer, their statements, their passwords to all their social media. And my daughter had a lot of artwork on her computer. I would like these things, and I would especially like them before I die, to be quite honest... It's really heartbreaking."

To try and get Tober's ruling overturned, Fealey's family and friends have launched a letter-writing campaign under the group name "100 Voices for Maryrose Fealey" to "demand action from the Somerset County Courts to ensure that MaryRose gets the justice that she deserves."

"Either way, my daughter is dead, but the real fear is that he gets out and does this to someone else, which I have no problem seeing happen," said Pizzelli.

Fealey's family is asking the community to continue to support them in their fight to overturn Tober's ruling and have Shroitman stand trial.

Anyone interested in the letter-writing campaign, which includes a pre-written letter to send to officials, can visit instagram.com/100voicesformaryrosefealey.

• Related: 37 Stab Wounds, A Manifesto Discovered: New Somerville Slaying Details
• Related: Who Is David Shroitman: Man Charged In Fatal Somerville Stabbing

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