Manslaughter Charge Against Son Dropped In E. Windsor Dad's Death

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — A manslaughter charge against a 23-year-old East Windsor man in his father's death has been dropped, and he is now charged with aggravated assault, Mercer County authorities confirm.

Yu Chavarria, 23, had been charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of his father, Edgar Chavarria, 58, on Jan. 25.

But that charge was dismissed Jan. 30 by a Superior Court judge, and Yu Chavarria now is charged with aggravated assault, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Thursday.

Casey DeBlasio, spokeswoman for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, said the office dismissed the manslaughter charge because of “new information and further investigation” and did not elaborate on the matter, according to information first reported on NJ.com.

DeBlasio confirmed the information in the media report Thursday morning.

She also said Chavarria is released pending future court proceedings.

On Jan. 25, East Windsor police responded to a home on Twin Rivers Drive North around 7 a.m., on a report of an unconscious male, according to a past Patch article.

On arrival, officers found a tenant of the property, identified as 58-year-old Edgar Chavarria, on the kitchen floor bleeding from the head and face, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigation, father and son got into a verbal argument on Thursday morning that turned into a physical altercation, with Yu Chavarria striking his father in the face multiple times with his fist and then once with his head, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri has said.

According to an affidavit in the case obtained Thursday by Patch, Yu and Edgar Chavarria rented a space in the basement of the East Windsor house but had access to two other floors in the house.

Investigators said Yu Chavarria said that at approximately 6:50 a.m. Jan. 25, he and his father got into a verbal argument due to Yu's being in the bathroom for too long.

"He stated that after the verbal argument, he began washing dishes when his father told him to be quiet and that he wanted Yu to leave the residence."

Yu responded with a profanity and he said in the affidavit his father kicked him in the ribs. Yu then "advised that a physical altercation ensued between Yu Chavarria and Edgar. Yu Chavarria admitted to striking his father in the face approximately five times with his fist and then head butting him in the side of the face," the affidavit said, in part.

The affidavit says Yu Chavarria said he pushed Edgar away and left the residence. As he was leaving, he indicated that Edgar Chavarria was still standing in the kitchen, according to the document.

Yu Chavarria continued to the Mercer County Library, where he stayed until he was located by detectives, according to the affidavit.

The investigation was conducted by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the East Windsor Township Police Department, specifically MCHTF Detective Tim Bruey and East Windsor Detective Joe Zucchero.