Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Mary Carbone, 60, of Toms River, has been sentenced to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison for her role in the death of Frank Stochel, 55, of Toms River. Carbone’s sentencing, delivered by Judge Guy P. Ryan on September 13, 2024, follows her guilty plea to Aggravated Manslaughter. The incident occurred in Manchester Township on February 24, 2020.
Under the No Early Release Act, Carbone must serve at least 85% of her sentence—approximately 8.5 years—before becoming eligible for parole.
On the day of the crime, Manchester Township Police responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive male at a residence on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park section. Officers discovered Stochel’s lifeless body on the floor. The next day, the Ocean County Medical Examiner conducted a post-mortem examination and determined the manner of death to be homicide.
An extensive investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Manchester Township Police Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit revealed that Carbone and Stochel lived together at the residence. Investigators found several household items used in the attack, including a wooden board, a heavy-duty tape dispenser, and a shower curtain rod. The injuries sustained by Stochel were consistent with the use of these objects. Carbone was arrested on March 4, 2021, and has been held in the Ocean County Jail since then.
“Although this defendant was originally facing a murder charge, legitimate proof issues arose during the course of our investigation that we were ethically bound to take into account,” said Prosecutor Billhimer. “After careful consideration and consultation with Mr. Stochel’s family, we believe this is a just resolution.”
Carbone pled guilty to the Aggravated Manslaughter charge in July 2024.