Camden County Man Pleads Guilty in 2014 Murder of Atlantic County Man: Prosecutor

A Camden man pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the stabbing death of a Hamilton Township man in August of 2014, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.

Richard L. Ferrara, 49, had been charged with first degree murder in connection with the Aug. 14, 2014 stabbing death of William R. Strock, 41, of the Inland Estates mobile home park on the Black Horse Pike.
Strock was found lying on the ground by a neighbor around 12:12 a.m. on Aug. 14, 2014. He was bleeding from an apparent stab wound to his torso.

Hamilton Township Police, Rescue, and paramedics responded and Strock was transported by ambulance to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Division, where he was later pronounced dead.

Following an eight month investigation by Hamilton Township Police Department detectives and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Ferrara was charged on May 7, 2015.

He was already in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, where he was being held on an unrelated matter.

He was held on $1 million bail since.

• Murder—a crime of the 1st degree,
• Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose—a 3rd degree crime, and
• Unlawful Possession of a Weapon—a 4th degree crime.

Ferrara reached a plea agreement on Thursday.

According to the plea agreement, Ferrara is subject to a sentence of incarceration in New Jersey State Prison for 15 years. Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), Ferrara must serve 85% of the sentence—12 years and 9 months—before becoming eligible for parole.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 28.