Middletown Woman Accused Of Killing Husband Denied Bail

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Middletown woman accused of shooting and killing her husband inside their home on Dec. 13 was denied bail and will remain behind bars as her case proceeds through the court system.

Through her lawyer, Michele Linzalone, 73, professed her innocence at her detention hearing Wednesday. This hearing was Linzalone's first appearance in court since she was arrested last Tuesday, the day after the alleged murder took place inside the large suburban home the couple shared on Borden Road.

Linzalone works at St. Leo the Great church in Middletown and has strong ties to the Middletown community, said her defense lawyer Les Hartman. He argued before the judge that the shooting was an accident, and unsuccessfully argued for her to be released and allowed to go home until trial.

This affidavit released by the county prosecutor showed that her husband had suffered several strokes in recent years and that Linzalone was stressed and burned out as his sole caretaker. She has been charged with first-degree murder and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard English said he thinks Linzalone is a flight risk, due to having "significant" financial holdings, and also said he doubts her claim she shot her husband accidentally.

"It seems to me to have elements of planning as opposed to pure accident," said Judge English Wednesday. "For example, looking at her phone; why would there be a situation where there were searches on the phone the week before to different websites, about ammunition and hollow-point bullets and things of that nature? And then the day of (the shooting), why would there be searches dealing with how long it takes someone to die; whether they feel the pain?"

"Things of that nature seem to be more of an element of planning as opposed to pure accident," said English. He continued:

"I'm not sure why you would be pointing a gun at your husband's head if it was purely accidental."

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Lawrence Nelsen, the assistant prosecutor for Monmouth County, said detectives combed the couple's Middletown home and found various financial records and accounts shared by the now-deceased husband and wife, which he said showed "significant" amounts of money.

"A Morgan Stanley account, a Merrill Lynch account in her name with a very significant amount of money as of July 21, 2020," said the county prosecutor, arguing that she should be held in jail without bail. He also argued that she was a danger to the community. "If she were released, she would pose a significant flight risk."

All court hearings are currently virtual; Linzalone appeared via video from the Monmouth County jail in Freehold.

The day of the shooting

At 10:13 a.m. on Dec. 13, Middletown police were called to a home on Borden Road for a shooting incident. A woman, identified as Michele Linzalone, 73, had called 911 and reported the accidental shooting of her husband, later identified as Rocky V. Linzalone, 74.

She told police that she was "playing" with the gun, that she did think it was loaded and that she aimed the gun at her husband's head and accidentally shot him. However, a search of Linzalone's phone revealed she previously searched on her iPhone "If you shoot someone in the head will they die instantly," police say.

Family members also told detectives the deceased husband had suffered several strokes recently and that his wife was his primary caretaker. Those same family members told police this appeared to take a toll on the accused woman and she became resentful towards her husband.

The prosecutor said she shot her husband in the back of the head. He was pronounced dead when police and EMTs got there.

Defense attorney Hartman called it "a moment of stress" and said she should be allowed out of jail to await her trial. He also said the shooting was accidental and that Linzalone is a mother who has strong ties to the community. She even works at St. Leo the Great Catholic church in Middletown, he said.

"My client, who is 73 years of age, was an advertising executive until the 1980s until she started her family," said her lawyer. "She works in the church at St. Leo's; there is no indication she will be a danger to anyone at all. The only person who was in danger is the deceased husband at this point."

Hartman pointed out that is was Linzalone who called police to report the shooting; "She did not flee. She had a conversation with police, provided them with information," he said. "This was an accidental discharge of a firearm with the worst result you can possibly imagine. It's a problem with firearms in this country altogether."

He also said Linzalone would surrender her passport if she were allowed out of jail.

"I have a client who is a model citizen. She maintains her innocence; she has had no prior contract with law enforcement. She has a family, strong ties in the community," he argued.

Judge English did not agree.

"It appears the defendant has a significant amount of money and a significant risk of not returning to court," said the judge. He added this risk was compounded by the fact that she is accused of first-degree murder and facing life in prison.

Linzalone said told police she waited approximately twenty to thirty minutes to contact 911 after the shooting "because she was in shock and she wanted to get dressed and brush her teeth," according to the affidavit.

"The officer noted that defendant had an indifferent, nonchalant demeanor during her conversation with him, which did not change throughout the conversation," it read.

Patch's entire coverage of a case that shocked Middletown: Middletown Woman Charged With Murder In Shooting Death Of Husband

Phone History Reveals New Details In Middletown Fatal Shooting

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