By: Richard L. Smith
A Manchester Township man has pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder after admitting in court that he intended to kill his mother during a violent assault inside her home last summer.
Joseph Cavallaro, 45, entered the guilty plea on January 30, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan.
At sentencing on March 26, 2026, the State is expected to seek a 10-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring the defendant to serve 85 percent of the term before becoming eligible for parole.
The charges stem from an incident on June 27, 2025, when officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to reports of a woman in distress at the Pine Acres Manor Mobile Home Community shortly after 12:15 p.m.
Responding officers found the 71-year-old victim suffering from significant injuries to her face and body.
She was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she was treated for serious injuries and later released.
A joint investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau determined that Cavallaro became involved in an argument with his mother that escalated into a physical assault.
Authorities said the victim lost consciousness during the attack and suffered a concussion, fractured ribs, a fractured skull, and multiple facial fractures.
Cavallaro was taken into custody on the day of the incident without incident and has remained held at the Ocean County Jail since his arrest.
As part of his guilty plea, Cavallaro admitted in court that his intent during the assault was to cause his mother’s death.