New Jersey man told his mother he was 'sorry' before stabbing her to death, cops say

A 25-year-old New Jersey man accused of stabbing his mother to death in their Monmouth County home early Monday morning told her he was sorry before plunging a knife into her chest while she was in bed, authorities said.

Officers found Loretta Parody lying on the floor in the foyer of the home when officers arrived at the Porter Road home in Howell around 1:10 a.m., according to the criminal complaint outlining the murder and weapons charges against his son, Robert Parody.

Robert Parody was standing outside the home when officers arrived, the complaint states. When a police officer asked Robert who was injured, he replied, “My mother.” The officer then asked her if she was alive and the man replied, “No.”

His mother, however, was still alive, although she was seriously injured, authorities said. When police found her in the foyer with another person who lived in the home, Loretta told police her son apologized before stabbing her.

She also managed to convey to police that Robert had repeatedly entered her bedroom and run up and down the stairs before attacking her, the court document states. The two men also fought over the knife during the attack, authorities said.

Police treated Loretta Parody before paramedics rushed her to an area hospital, where the 61-year-old died around 4:45 a.m. Monday.

The witness told police that Robert had “acted strange” on Sunday and directed police to the blood-stained knife, which had been left in the kitchen, according to the affidavit.

Robert suffered a traumatic brain injury in a dirt bike accident in 2015 and was never the same after that, New Jersey 101.5 FM radio reported.

The parody remains in custody in the Monmouth County Jail. A detention hearing is tentatively scheduled for Friday morning, the prosecutor's office said. Information from the suspect's attorney was not available.

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Jeff Goldman can be contacted at [email protected].