Howell Man Said He Was Sorry While Stabbing Mother: Affidavit

HOWELL, NJ — As Loretta Parody lay on the floor in the foyer of her Howell home, police officers trying to stop the bleeding from a stab wound to her chest, the officers asked her what happened.

The 61-year-old woman, who died June 3 as a result of the stabbing, told officers her son had stabbed her. But before he stabbed her, Loretta Parody said her son, Robert, apologized.

"Loretta also said that 'he' said he was sorry and then stabbed her," according to the probable cause affidavit filed in connection with the arrest of Robert Parody, 24.

Robert Parody, who turns 25 later in June, had been arrested even before police set foot inside the home on Porter Road, according to the affidavit. He remains in the Monmouth County jail, held on charges of first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon in his mother's death. A detention hearing is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley.

The affidavit provided additional details about how the events unfolded on June 3.

Howell police responded to a 911 call at 1:05 a.m. from a female reporting the stabbing.

The female, who is identified only as "Witness 1", told the 911 operator Loretta Parody had been stabbed, and as she was on the phone could be heard telling Robert Parody "to get out of the house," and then said she had locked him out and had the knife, according to the affidavit.

Police arrived at four minutes later, at 1:09 a.m. and found Robert Parody outside the house. When a Howell officer asked who was hurt, Robert Parody answered, "My mom," and when asked if his mother was alive, he said, "No," and officers arrested him and put him in a patrol vehicle.

With Robert Parody in custody, they went inside the home and found Loretta Parody on the floor of the foyer with a stab wound to her chest, according to the affidavit.

As they rendered first aid, officers asked what happened and Loretta Parody told them her son kept coming into her room, and that she could hear him going up and down the stairs, before he stabbed her, according to the affidavit.

The witness told police she was awakened by Loretta Parody screaming for help and saw Loretta and Robert struggling over a knife, the affidavit said.

The witness saw bleeding and called 911, then told Loretta to go downstairs, with Robert Parody following them. As the witness got Robert Parody out of the house, Loretta Parody took the knife to the kitchen then walked into the foyer and collapsed and said Robert had stabbed her, according to the affidavit.

The only people in the house at the time of the stabbing were Robert Parody, Loretta Parody and the female who called 911, the female and Loretta told police. The witness also told authorities that the knife used was in the kitchen and that Robert Parody "had been acting strangely earlier in the day," the affidavit said.

A kitchen knife with apparent blood staining was found in the kitchen as detectives were searching the home, it said.

Loretta Parody was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune by Howell EMS but succumbed and was pronounced dead at 4:44 a.m., the affidavit said.

Robert Parody, meanwhile, was taken to Howell police headquarters and initially charged with aggravated assault, then taken to CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township after a mental health screener evaluated him, the affidavit said.