Court Update: Man Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Somerville Woman 37 Times

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A new court date has been set to determine if David C. Shroitman, 27, of Somerville - accused of fatally stabbing anti-drug activist 27-year-old MaryRose Fealey 37 times in 2024 - is mentally competent to stand trial.

The next court date is scheduled for July 8 with an evaluation report of Shroitman's fitness to proceed to trial due five days prior, according to Fealey's mother Janet Mary Pizzelli in an update on Monday.

Court proceedings against Shroitman were suspended after Somerset County Superior Judge Peter Tober's ruled on April 3 that he was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Tober committed Shroitman to the custody of the Commissioner of the Department of Health where he is confined at Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton and undergoing treatment.

"Three months after confinement the court and counsel shall be notified and provide each with an evaluation of David fitness to proceed to trial," said Pizzelli. "If David has not regained competency the Court must decide if his charges should be held in abeyance (temporarily suspended) or dismissed with prejudice (permanently closed, and the same claim or lawsuit cannot be re-filed in the future)."

Pizzelli previously told Patch that she believes Shroitman can stand trial and is mentally competent.

"He was working. He graduated business at Rutgers. And he had a full-time job and he had an apartment," said Pizzelli in May. "He got an apartment, like, five blocks from our house."

Pizzelli, who has triple-negative breast cancer, added that until there's a trial, she can't get her daughter's possessions back.

"They have her computer, her phone, all of her items. But if this takes years to go to trial, I can't have them back," said Pizzelli. "Now, as you know, this generation, everything is on their computer, their statements, their passwords to all their social media. And my daughter had a lot of artwork on her computer. I would like these things, and I would especially like them before I die, to be quite honest... It's really heartbreaking."

Since Tober's ruling, Fealey's family and friends have launched a letter-writing campaign under the group name "100 Voices for Maryrose Fealey" to "demand action from the Somerset County Courts to ensure that MaryRose gets the justice that she deserves."

"Please keep your letters going. Thank you all for your support for my daughter Maryrose," said Pizzelli.

Anyone interested in the letter-writing campaign, which includes a pre-written letter to send to officials, can visit instagram.com/100voicesformaryrosefealey.

The Crime

On Jan. 30 at around 10:20 p.m., a 911 call reported an injured unresponsive woman located outside of a residential complex on North Bridge Street. Read More: Woman Found Fatally Stabbed Outside Somerville Housing Complex: Police

Somerville Officers found Fealey with multiple apparent stab wounds and began life-saving measures at the scene along with responding medical personnel, said McDonald.Fealey was pronounced dead at the scene.

A postmortem examination was performed on Feb. 1, 2024, by the Medical Examiner’s Office who positively identified the victim as Fealey and determined the cause of death as multiple stab wounds, 37 times, and ruled the manner of death as homicide.

On Feb. 4, investigators searched Shroitman's home, his vehicle and person where they found numerous bleach containers throughout the home, a manifesto laying out a plan step-by-step for the homicide, and the driver's door of the tan Toyota Camry was doused in bleach, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Read More: 37 Stab Wounds, A Manifesto Discovered: New Somerville Slaying Details

Shroitman was formally arrested and charged on Feb. 5, 2024. A motive has not been released, however, authorities did confirm that Shroitman knew Fealey. Shroitman graduated from Somerville High School with Fealey in 2014.

Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Gerard Tyrrell said in court in February 2024 that there was "no evidence of a romantic relationship" between Shroitman and Fealey.

Previous Reporting:

• 37 Stab Wounds, A Manifesto Discovered: New Somerville Slaying Details
• Who Is David Shroitman: Man Charged In Fatal Somerville Stabbing
• Man Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Somerville Woman 37 Times May Not Stand Trial
• Community Rallies To Overturn Judge's Ruling, Have Somerville Man Stand Trial For Murder
• Bridgewater Mayor 'Deeply Troubled' Over Somerville Murder Case Court Ruling

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com