Man Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Somerville Woman 37 Times Will Stand Trial

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A judge has found that David Shroitman, accused of fatally stabbing anti-drug activist 27-year-old MaryRose Fealey 37 times in Somerville in 2024, is "competent" to stand trial.

Somerset County Superior Judge Peter Tober ruled on Thursday that Shroitman is now competent, court officials confirmed to Patch.

Tober previously ruled Shroitman was incompetent to proceed with trial in April 2025 after evaluations by multiple doctors who testified in court.

Tober ordered that Shroitman be committed to the
Ann Klein Forensic Center to be restored to competency.

That decision was upheld by the New Jersey Appellate Division in February.

Another hearing was held on Aug. 13, and following the additional testimony of doctors, Tober found Shroitman competent to stand trial.

"Tober found that the doctor from Ann Klein, Dr. Daniel Eddins, offered one of the most honest and forthright expert opinions that the Court heard," according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office(SCPO).

Shroitman's behavior reportedly changed after he was deemed competent following Eddin’s evaluation, including overstressing or highlighting his symptoms, according to Tober.

"Tober found that Shroitman has an extraordinarily competent understanding of the facts of his case and that continued counseling and medication at Ann Klein increased the defendant’s ability to participate meaningfully in his defense," according to the SCPO.

His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 14.

In May 2025, MaryRose Fealey's mother Janet Pizzelli told Patch that she believed Shroitman can stand trial and is mentally competent.

Pizzelli's greatest fear was dying before Shroitman stood trial.

Unfortunately, Pizzelli, who had been battling triple-negative breast cancer since the night of her daughter's murder, died on Christmas Eve.

The Crime

On Jan. 30, 2024 at around 10:20 p.m., a 911 call reported an injured unresponsive woman located outside of a residential complex on North Bridge Street. Read More: Woman Found Fatally Stabbed Outside Somerville Housing Complex: Police

Somerville Officers found Fealey with multiple apparent stab wounds and began life-saving measures at the scene along with responding medical personnel, said McDonald.Fealey was pronounced dead at the scene.

A postmortem examination was performed on Feb. 1, 2024, by the Medical Examiner’s Office who positively identified the victim as Fealey and determined the cause of death as multiple stab wounds, 37 times, and ruled the manner of death as homicide.

On Feb. 4, investigators searched Shroitman's home, his vehicle and person where they found numerous bleach containers throughout the home, a manifesto laying out a plan step-by-step for the homicide, and the driver's door of the tan Toyota Camry was doused in bleach, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Read More: 37 Stab Wounds, A Manifesto Discovered: New Somerville Slaying Details

Shroitman was formally arrested and charged on Feb. 5, 2024. A motive has not been released, however, authorities did confirm that Shroitman knew Fealey. Shroitman graduated from Somerville High School with Fealey in 2014.

Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Gerard Tyrrell said in court in February 2024 that there was "no evidence of a romantic relationship" between Shroitman and Fealey.

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