Seaside Heights Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter Charge

Elizabeth Mascarelli (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

A Seaside Heights woman implicated in one of two bizarre, related killings last summer has pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge with the expectation of a hefty prison sentence.

Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights, pled guilty to aggravated manslaughter before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan on Monday, in connection with the death of Kerry Rollason, 56, of Toms River, on or about July 3, 2024, in Toms River.

At the time of her sentencing, scheduled for Jan. 31, 2025, prosecutors will be seeking a term of 25 years New Jersey State Prison.

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The case first came to light July 5, 2024, when detectives from numerous agencies located Maxwell Johnston, 35, of Manchester, at a residence on Ravenwood Drive in Toms River. Johnston was already wanted in connection with the murder of Gabriella Caroleo, 25, of Seaside Heights, which occurred in Manchester on June 27, 2024. Upon their arrival at the residence, U.S. Marshals successfully called out three of the occupants, later identified as Danielle Bolstad, 42, of Barnegat, Jared Krysiak, 34, of Brick, and Jared Palumbo, 36, of Manchester.

Johnston and Mascarelli remained in the residence, however, and it was learned that Johnston was armed. After several hours, Mascarelli exited the residence and was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River to be treated for injuries sustained throughout the standoff. The residence was subsequently cleared using a drone, and Johnston was located in a bedroom – deceased – with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, detectives discovered a defaced .22 caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun in the residence.

According to prosecutors, further investigation revealed that Mascarelli had allowed Johnston to stay at the residence on Ravenwood Drive with her for four days despite her knowledge of the murder of Caroleo and Johnston’s alleged involvement in it. As such, Mascarelli was charged with harboring a fugitive from justice, and served with the charge on a complaint at the hospital. Mascarelli was later transported to the Ocean County Jail, where she has remained lodged pending resolution of her charges.

As the investigation evolved, detectives discovered evidence that a second murder may have been committed at the Ravenwood Drive residence on or about July 3, 2024. To that end, law enforcement came into possession of information indicating that evidence of that murder might be found at a property in Jackson Township. On July 12, 2024, investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant on the Jackson property and found numerous body parts in black bags along with additional evidence connected to the murder, including a hatchet. The body was determined to be that of Rollason, who owned the home in Toms River where the standoff had taken place.

Continuing investigation revealed that Mascarelli conspired with Johnston, and was, in fact, the individual responsible for Mr. Rollason’s death. It was also determined that Mascarelli, Bolstad and Krysiak, assisted Johnston with dismembering Mr. Rollason’s body, and that Mascarelli, Bolstad, Krysiak and Palumbo assisted Johnston in disposing of the body in Jackson Township.

A murder indictment was handed up against Mascarelli in October and she was set to stand trial.

“Although Mascarelli was originally facing more significant charges with greater sentencing exposure, this plea agreement has been entered into in the interests of justice and with the approval of the victim’s next of kin,” Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement.