Ocean Fire: Housemate Accused Of Murdering Missing Woman

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ — The housemate of a woman missing since their home caught fire was charged with murdering her, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday. Jacquelin Terrulli has been missing since her and Ronald Teschner's home became engulfed in flames Sept. 12.

Teschner was charged with murder, felony murder, disturbing human remains, robbery, aggravated arson and three counts of theft, the MCPO said. Teschner had been detained on other charges. But Wednesday's announcement was the first public indication from law enforcement that they believe Teschner murdered Terrulli, 65, and that he committed arson.

"On one hand, it’s good that this is kind of the first step on the path to getting some kind of closure because the not knowing is probably the most difficult part," said Jef Henninger, an attorney representing Terrulli's family. "As slim as maybe that hope was, there was always that possibility that this is one of those unusual cases and she’s still out there."

Once the fire was extinguished Sept. 12, authorities realized that both residents and Terrulli's 2019 Jeep Cherokee were missing. The Jeep was last seen in the Monmouth County area at about 8 a.m. that morning — a half hour after authorities responded to the fire — the MCPO said.

Police found Teschner in Terrulli's vehicle the next morning in Paterson, the MCPO says. Her Jeep contained clothing, shotguns, jewelry and lawn equipment stolen from Terrulli and her family, the MCPO said.

Teschner, 49, was charged with two counts of unlawful weapons possession, two counts of certain persons not to possess a weapon, and three counts of receiving stolen property, the MCPO announced in September. Teschner also assaulted a Paterson cop the day of his arrest, authorities said. Read more: Ocean Twp. Fire: Man Assaulted A Cop On Day Of Arrest: MCPO

Authorities conducted an extensive search for Terrulli, 65. Over two dozen officers were seen searching for her in the surrounding woods of the burnt-down home. Monmouth County Crime Stoppers and Terrulli's family each offered $5,000 for info on her whereabouts.

“The detectives and law enforcement partners in this investigation have worked vigorously to bring us to this point," said Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. "I commend them all for their tenacity to seek out and find answers to some of the difficult questions that have been presented in this case."

Terrulli's remains still hasn't been found, the MCPO said. Henninger says that could make this case challenging to prosecute. But he has confidence in the MCPO because of how they handled the murder trial of Sarah Stern, another "no-body" homicide case.

Liam McAtasney was sentenced to life in prison last June for murdering Stern. Stern went missing Dec. 2, 2016 and was never found. Read more: Judge Gives Sentence To Convicted Murderer In Sarah Stern Case

Teschner has an extensive criminal history in New Jersey, including multiple stints in state prison and convictions for assault, drugs and burglary, according to court records. He was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in 2007 after pleading guilty to drug possession, burglary, eluding, aggravated assault and witness tampering.

The charges stemmed from a Passaic County incident in 2006, when Teschner broke into his then-wife's home to "for the purpose of inflicting or threatening to inflict bodily injury, according to the filing. Teschner was under a restraining order at the time, the records state.

When Wayne officers tried pulling him over to arrest him, he sped away and hit another car, injuring a woman inside, the filing says.

Teschner was previously sentenced to 12 years in prison in 1993 for robbery, receiving stolen property and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in another Passaic County case.

"(Terrulli's) family isn’t going anywhere," Henninger said. "They’re still going to be involved in the case and involved in the trial, and they’re going to want to make sure justice is done."

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