An obsessed former schoolmate drafted a step-by-step “manifesto” detailing how he would murder a popular charity worker before stabbing her to death outside her New Jersey home, prosecutors claim.
David Shroitman, 27, was branded an “extremely dangerous individual” by a judge during a recent bail hearing for the murder of Maryrose Fealey, ten years after they last shared a class together.
Police found Fealey dead from 37 stab wounds outside the apartment block in Somerville, with her car door still open and her belongings strewn across the front yard after she arrived home on January 30.
Days later, Shroitman was found wearing latex gloves while scrubbing his car with bleach, before discovering the gruesome plot inside his nearby home.
“He has a significant history of mental health and currently suffers from severe migraines and other medical conditions,” attorney Emma Pallarino told a Somerset County court.
Maryrose Fealey, 27, was found dead with 37 stab wounds after a frenzied attack outside her home in Somerville, New Jersey, on January 30.
David Shroitman, 27, was arrested for her murder after police found a detailed ‘manifesto’ outlining her murder plans inside her home.
Maryrose’s father, Jim Fealey, was in court to watch his daughter’s former schoolmate stand trial.
Fealey, 27, and her alleged killer had attended Somerville High School and graduated together in 2014.
Police said there was no evidence of a romantic relationship between the couple, but it was thought they knew each other.
Fealey had graduated from Rutgers Business School in 2018 and had worked for the Naval Surface Warfare Center before her brother’s struggle with addiction convinced her to take a career break and “focus on his life’s mission.” as an advocate for people addicted to drugs.
Shroitman had followed her to the same university and graduated four years later before striking out on his own.
Fealey is believed to have been a member of the Life Time gym in nearby Bridgewater and there have been unconfirmed reports that Shroitman followed her home from the facility on the night of the murder.
Fealey was pronounced dead at the scene after police responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive woman outside her apartment block at 10:20 p.m. on the night of the murder.
Dash camera video revealed a man wearing a gray sweatshirt and a black face mask standing near Fealey’s home around 9 p.m. the night she was murdered, according to the affidavit.
Fealey had gained a following on TikTok with a series of raw videos about his relationship with his brother, Ian, and his battle with opioid use disorder.
“She was always very supportive and had a big smile every time she walked into a room,” said her friend Ian Bockus. “I’ve faced a lot of loss over the years, but never anything like this.”
Detectives saw a white trash bag on the driver’s seat of Shroitman’s Toyota Camry, as well as a black mask and duct tape when they arrived to speak with him at a business in Bridgewater the next day.
Shroitman declined to be interviewed, but detectives tried again three days later after viewing surveillance footage that appeared to show him running from the murder scene toward his Toyota parked nearby.
They arrived to find the smell of bleach coming from Shroitman’s car as he was cleaning it with clear latex gloves outside his home.
Bloodstains were found during a search of his home along with several containers of bleach and what appeared to be his blueprint for the murder.
Shroitman pleaded not guilty to murder and was also charged with third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree tampering with evidence and third-degree hindering apprehension.
Friends and family of Fealey protested outside the courthouse demanding that Shroitman remain in custody when he appeared for a bail hearing Friday, some holding signs that read “No bail, you’ll rot in hell” and “Justice for Maryrose Fealey.”
“Fealey was tireless in his efforts to empower young people and those struggling with addiction, including his older brother, Ian Fealey,” his obituary read.
‘Founder of 4 The Younger Me (4TYM), Fealey has also been involved with non-profit organizations DJ Choices and Empower Somerset.
“She firmly believed that ‘substance abuse does not define the person’ and that ‘a toxic environment does not define the future of the child.’
“She was always very supportive and had a big smile every time she walked into a room,” said Ian Bockus of the nonprofit Not An Easy Fix.
Friends and family of Fealey protested outside the courthouse demanding that Shroitman remain in custody when he appeared for a bail hearing Friday.
Bloodstains were found during a search of his home along with several containers of bleach and what appeared to be his blueprint for the murder.
‘My group of friends and I have faced many losses over the years, but never anything like this.
“It doesn’t make sense and it’s not right, but in times like this we need to come together as a family and community and offer our support.”
Superior Court Judge Jonathan Romankow agreed with protesters when he called Shroitman a “serious risk” to the community and denied him bail.
Shroitman is due back in court on March 22 and faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.