A 25-year-old New Jersey man charged with stabbing his mother to death inside their home in Monmouth County early Monday morning told her he was sorry before plunging a knife into her chest while she was in bed, authorities said.
Police officers found Loretta Parody lying on the floor in the house’s foyer when police officers arrived at the house on Porter Road in Howell at about 1:10 a.m., according to the criminal complaint outlining murder and weapons charges against her son, Robert Parody.
Robert Parody was standing outside the house when officers showed up, the complaint states. When a police officer asked Robert who was hurt, he responded, “My mom.” The officer then asked if she was alive and the man replied, “No.”
His mother, however, was still alive, though she was badly injured, authorities said. When police found her in the foyer with another person who lived in the house, Loretta told police that her son apologized before stabbing her.
She also managed to convey to police that Robert repeatedly entered her room and went up and down the stairs before attacking her, the court document says. The two struggled over the knife during the attack as well, authorities said.
Police officers treated Loretta Parody before emergency workers rushed her to an area hospital, where the 61-year-old died at about 4:45 a.m. Monday.
The witness told police Robert had been “acting strangely” on Sunday and directed police to the blood-stained knife, which had been left in the kitchen, the affidavit said.
Robert suffered a head injury during a dirt bike accident in 2015 and wasn’t the same after that, New Jersey 101.5 FM radio reported.
Parody remains held in the Monmouth County jail. A detention hearing is tentatively scheduled for Friday morning, the prosecutor’s office said. Attorney information for the suspect was not available.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
