Fugitive In Toms River Standoff Killed, Dismembered Home's Owner: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The owner of the Toms River home that was the site of a July 5 standoff with a Manchester man was killed by the fugitive and dismembered, and the homeowner's body parts taken to a property in Jackson, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday.

In addition, four people who were in the home with the fugitive, Maxwell Johnston, on the day of the standoff have been charged with desecration of human remains, accused of helping Johnston with the dismemberment and discarding of the remains, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Johnston, 35, took his own life after nearly seven hours of keeping authorities at bay, firing at them repeatedly, when they came to arrest him on July 5 in connection with the June 27 shooting death of Gabriella Caroleo, 25, authorities have said. Read more: Manchester Fugitive Takes His Life, Ending Standoff In Toms River

Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, who was in the house with Johnston during the standoff and only came out after Johnston shot himself, is being held in the Ocean County Jail on charges of harboring a fugitive, after allowing Johnston to stay with her in the house on Ravenwood Drive for four days, despite knowing of his alleged involvement in the slaying of Caroleo, Billhimer has said. Read more: Woman Charged With Harboring Fugitive In Manchester Slaying In Toms River Standoff

She is now accused, along with three others in the home — Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat; Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick Township, and Jarred Palumbo, 36, of Manchester — of helping Johnston dismember and dispose of the remains of the homeowner, Kerry Rollason, 56, of Toms River, Billhimer said.

"The crimes committed against Mr. Rollason are unsettling and disturbing. I am thankful for the law enforcement professionals that worked diligently to uncover these depraved and soulless crimes," Billhimer said.

The prosecutor's office did not provide any details on a potential motive in the Rollason killing.

Billhimer said it was during the course of investigating Caroleo's death that authorities uncovered evidence that a murder might have been committed at the Ravenwood Drive home on or around July 3.

Authorities then learned evidence of the murder might be found at a property in Jackson, and on July 12 authorities executed a search warrant at a property on Toms River Road in Jackson, where they found "numerous body parts in black bags along with additional evidence connected to the murder," Billhimer said.

The Ocean County Medical Examiner identified the body parts as Rollason and determined he had been shot multiple times and had been beaten, Billhimer said.

Billhimer said the investigation revealed Johnston had killed Rollason at the Ravenwood Drive home, and had shot him using a firearm that belonged to Mascarelli.

"Additionally, Mascarelli, Bolstad, and Krysiak assisted Johnston with dismembering Mr. Rollason’s body, and Mascarelli, Bolstad, Krysiak, and Palumbo assisted Johnston in disposing of the body in Jackson Township," Billhimer said.

Mascarelli, of Seaside Heights, is charged with hindering apprehension, desecration of human remains, being a certain person not to possess a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a defaced weapon, Billhimer said.

Bolstad, Krysiak, and Palumbo have been charged with hindering apprehension and desecration of human remains, Billhimer said.

Palumbo was arrested Saturday and Bolstad was arrested Sunday, Billhimer said.

Krysiak remains at large and had been listed in the National Crime Information Center database as a fugitive, Billhimer said.

Palumbo was processed and served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in court, and Bolstad was being held in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Mascarelli was served with the additional charges on Monday; she remains in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Prosecutor Billhimer urges anyone who has any information related to this investigation to contact Detective Denis Mitchell of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, extension 2476, or Detective James Carey of the Toms River Township Police Department at 732-349-0150.