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Michael T. Gaffney recklessly caused the death of Francis Victoria Garcia, who was with him in the back seat of a car parked on the top level of a garage at 140 Prospect Avenue, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
"Compression injuries" were found around Garcia's neck, indicating that asphyxiation killed her -- and not a drug overdose -- according to the Bergen County Medical Examiner's Office, which conducted an autopsy on Saturday.
The 5-foot-8-inch, 180-pound Gaffney told detectives that they'd taken prescription medication and were having rough sex in her car when she lost consciousness, a law enforcement source said.
City police got a 911 call at 2:14 a.m., Musella said.
The victim was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Gaffney, meanwhile, remained held in the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court.
A conviction at trial for second-degree manslaughter in New Jersey can result in a state prison sentence of five to 10 years and a fine of up to $150,000. The convict must serve 85% of the sentence under New Jersey's No Early Release Act.
"I know Mike and he is a good soul," Amy Guggino wrote in a GoFundMe campaign that seeks to raise money toward "fair representation" for Gaffney. "I want to support him and his family through this tragedy. I pray for both families and for all of the community during this period of healing."
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