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A grand jury indicted 29-year-old Elizabeth Mascarelli of Seaside Heights on Thursday, Oct. 24 for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hindering apprehension, desecration of human remains, and eight weapons charges, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release.
Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat; Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick Township; and Jarred Palumbo, 36, of Manchester, were also indicted for hindering apprehension and desecration/disturbing of human remains. The four were charged in the killing of 56-year-old Kerry Rollason.
Maxwell Johnston, 35, of Manchester Township, was originally suspected of killing Rollason in his Ravenwood Drive home on Wednesday, July 3. Johnston had been wanted in the separate killing of 25-year-old Gabriella Caroleo of Seaside Heights on Thursday, June 27.
Investigators have now accused Mascarelli of causing Rollason's death.
"Although our investigation originally led us to believe that Johnston murdered Mr. Rollason at the Ravenwood Drive residence, our continuing thorough and extensive investigation has revealed that Mascarelli conspired with Johnston and was, in fact, the person responsible for Mr. Rollason’s death," said Billhimer.
"Additionally, our investigation has revealed that Mascarelli, Bolstad, and Krysiak assisted Johnston with dismembering Mr. Rollason’s body, and that Mascarelli, Bolstad, Krysiak, and Palumbo assisted Johnston in disposing of the body in Jackson Township."
Mascarelli was accused of allowing Johnston to stay at the Ravenwood Drive home to hide from police. Johnston died by suicide during an hours-long standoff on Friday, July 5.
Bolstad, Krysiak, and Palumbo left the home when officers arrived. Mascarelli left several hours later and was brought to Community Medical Center to be treated for injuries she suffered in the standoff.
While investigating Caroleo's death, police found evidence of Rollason's killing. Detectives learned more evidence could be at a home on Toms River Road in Jackson Township and a search warrant was executed there on Friday, July 12.
Investigators discovered several body parts in black bags and a hatchet among other evidence of Rollason's killing. Police also searched the Ravenwood Drive home again and found a defaced .22 gun owned by Mascarelli among other evidence that Rollason's killing happened there.
An autopsy of the body parts identified the victim as Rollason. His death was ruled a homicide from several gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma.
Palumbo was arrested on Saturday, July 13, and Bolstad was arrested the next day. Mascarelli was arrested after the standoff.
Krysiak was considered a fugitive until he was arrested in Marlboro on Tuesday, July 16. Mascarelli, Bolstad, and Krysiak were in the Ocean County Jail as of Friday, Oct. 25.
Anyone with information about the killings should call the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, ext. 2476, or the Toms River Township Police Department at 732-349-0150.
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