29-Year-Old Seaside Heights Woman Charged For Harboring Murder Suspect Following Standoff With Police
Sunday, July 7, 2024, 8:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
TOMS RIVER, NJ.- A 29-year-old Seaside Heights, New Jersey woman who was the girlfriend of a 35-year-old Manchester, New Jersey man wanted for the June 27, 2024 murder of a young mother, has been charged with hiding her boyfriend out following a 7-hour standoff with police that ended with the man turning the gun on himself and taking his own life, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights, New Jersey, was charged on Friday, with Hindering a Fugitive from Justice and was jailed on Saturday following being released from the hospital from an injury she sustained from being hit in the head with a teargas canister fired by police during the standoff.
According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, on Friday, July 5, 2024, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, the Manchester Township Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service, located Maxwell Johnston, 35, of Manchester Township, New Jersey, at a residence located on Ravenwood Drive in Toms River, New Jersey.
Johnston was wanted in connection with the shooting death of Gabriella Caroleo, 25, of Seaside Heights after she was found in the late afternoon hours on Thursday, June 27, 2024, near Ridgeway Liquors in Manchester Township suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound to her stomach. Ms. Caroleo died from the injury later that day at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey.
Upon arrival, U.S. Marshals successfully got three occupants to safely exit the Ravenwood Drive residence. At the same time, Johnston and Mascarelli remained in the residence, and Marshals learned that Johnston was armed with a handgun, and a standoff ensued.
During the standoff, negotiators attempted to have Johnston peacefully surrender, but the negotiations failed with Johnston at one point firing at law enforcement.
Pictures surfaced on social media and other news organizations of posts that Johnston and Mascarelli uploaded of themselves during the standoff.
After several hours, Mascarelli exited the residence and was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River to be treated for injuries she sustained during the standoff. The residence was subsequently cleared after law enforcement personnel used a drone, that was able to observe Johnston deceased inside a bedroom from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
A Subsequent investigation determined that Mascarelli allowed Johnston to stay with her for four days at the Ravenwood Drive residence, despite knowing he was wanted for the murder of Ms. Caroleo. Mascarelli was formally charged and was served with the complaint at the hospital, and following her release was transferred yesterday to the Ocean County Jail where she will remain pending the outcome of a pretrial detention hearing.
"The rules of the court requires us to include a statement, that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt."
FILED UNDER: JULY 7, 2024: LAW, LOCAL, OCEAN: