NJ Man Stalked Ex, Broke Into Her Home, Hid In Crawlspace, Stabbed Her New Boyfriend, Court Records Show

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A man accused of stabbing another man during a fight in Ortley Beach stalked his ex-girlfriend for weeks before the stabbing, sending dozens of threatening text messages, court documents show.

Patrick A. Robertelli, 57, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, harassment, and stalking, in the June 5 attack at a home in the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Authorities said Robertelli showed up at the home around 10:45 p.m. on June 5 and a fight ensued, resulting in Robertelli stabbing the victim, identified as Michael Abrams, several times.

Robertelli, who was arrested that night, had been held in the Ocean County Jail but has since been released following a detention hearing before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels, authorities said. Robertelli was released on home detention with level 3 monitoring, which requires weekly check-ins with the court among a host of restrictions.

The probable cause affidavits filed by Toms River police list addresses in Monmouth Beach and Toms River for Robertelli, and it is unclear which is his primary residence.

According to the affidavits, Robertelli had sent a large number of harassing text messages to the woman, who was his ex-girlfriend, over the previous several weeks. Among the texts he sent her was one with a photo taken inside the crawl space of her home and made threats, the complaint said.

On another occasion Robertelli went into the woman's home and waited for her to return for seven hours, the complaint said.

Other text messages were photos of the home of Abrams, her new boyfriend, the complaint said.

The woman told police that on the day of the stabbing she and Abrams were out to dinner when Robertelli began to text and call them multiple times, threatening to show up at both of their homes, according to the affidavit. Investigators found more than 100 consecutive text messages that were threatening sent by Robertelli on the woman's phone, along with the missed calls, the affidavit said.

After dinner the couple went to Abrams' home and not long after arriving, heard a car door shut outside the house, the woman told investigators. Abrams went outside to investigate, and the woman then heard arguing and fighting outside, the affidavit said.

This appears to be about the time she called 911, as when she went outside, she found Abrams on top of Robertelli, pinning him to the ground in the street and she could hear Robertelli asking for help, the affidavit said. Read more: 'There's Blood Everywhere': 911 Audio Of Ortley Beach Stabbing Captures Panicked Cries For Help

That's when she saw both men were covered in blood, and saw a knife in Robertelli's left hand, according to the affidavit.

She told investigators she took the knife away from Robertelli and put it on the ground, the affidavit said.

Police arrived shortly thereafter and found Abrams pinning Robertelli to the ground. When they separated the two men, they found Abrams had multiple stab wounds and he was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

Doctors determined Abrams had six puncture wounds but they were able to stabilize him.

A black folding knife was found in the street, the affidavit said.