Who Is David Shroitman: Man Charged In Fatal Somerville Stabbing

SOMERVILLE, NJ — David C. Shroitman, 27, of Brookside Avenue, Somerville, was arrested Monday in connection with the fatal stabbing of MaryRose Fealey, 27, of North Bridge Street in Somerville on Jan. 30.

An investigation found that Shroitman knew Fealey. But how?

Here is what we know so far:

1. He is facing charges of first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon, fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, and third-degree hindering apprehension.
2. He has no social media presence to our knowledge.
3. Shroitman graduated from Somerville High School with the victim, MaryRose Fealey, in 2014.
4. Shroitman is currently at Somerset County Jail and will remain depending on what happens at his detention hearing.
5. His processing hearing will be held virtually on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
6. A detention hearing will most likely be held on Friday at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Jonathan W. Romankow.

Authorities declined to say how the pair knew each other, as the investigation is ongoing.

Fatal Stabbing

On Jan. 30 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.

Detectives from the Somerville Police Department along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and the Crime Scene Investigations Unit are investigating.

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

On Sunday, Feb. 4, investigators got a warrant from Somerset County Superior Court to search Shroitman's vehicle and person.

Shortly after 11 p.m. detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office along with Somerville Police Detectives and Somerville Patrol Officers executed the search warrant and found Shroitman who was detained by authorities.

Shroitman was lodged at the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.

MaryRose Fealey

Fealey, who was identified as the homicide victim, was found with multiple stab wounds outside of a townhouse complex on Jan. 30.

Fealey, committed to her vision and efforts to empower youth and those battling addiction, was the founder of the non-profit 4TheYoungerMe (4TYM), according to her obituary on bridgewaterfuneralhome.com.

She also was involved with the non-profits Not An Easy Fix and Empower Somerset (Next-Of-Kin/NOK interviewer).

"She firmly believed that 'substance abuse does not define the person' and that 'a toxic environment does not define the child’s future'," according to the obituary.

Visiting hours will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Bridgewater Funeral Home, 707 E. Main Street, Bridgewater. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the St. John's Episcopal Church, 158 W. High Street, Somerville.

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