By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Ocean County announced that on January 28, Emiliano Davila, 41, of Keansburg, was indicted by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County on the charge of Murder in connection with the death investigation of Mary O’Connor, 32, of Seaside Heights.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that on November 3, 2025, Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to Community Medical Center in Toms River for a report of a female with blunt force trauma to her head.
The female, later identified as Mary O’Connor, had been dropped off at the hospital by two males who then left the area, OCPO officials say. Ms. O’Connor was found to be unresponsive, suffering from a brain bleed, and showed obvious signs of bruising consistent with strangulation.
According to Ocean County officials, an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Seaside Heights Police Department Detective Bureau determined that Davila was one of the individuals who left Ms. O’Connor at the hospital.
Continuing investigation revealed that Ms. O’Connor and Davila were in a dating relationship, and that Davila had assaulted Ms. O’Connor the night before at a motel in Seaside Heights, where she was residing, OCPO authorities stated.
Ocean County officials said that on November 3, 2025, Davila was taken into custody by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and Brick Township Police Department and charged with Domestic Violence Aggravated Assault by way of Strangulation. Davila was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he will remain detained pending trial.
According to OCPO officials, on November 5, 2025, Ms. O’Connor succumbed to her injuries at Community Medical Center. On November 6, 2025, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office performed a post-mortem examination of Ms. O’Connor.
The examination determined that the cause of her death was blunt force trauma to the head, causing a subdural hematoma, and the manner of death was homicide, Ocean County officials said. 
Consequently, OCPO officials stated that the charge against Davila was upgraded to Murder. Davila was served with the charge via warrant at the Ocean County Jail, where he will remain pending trial.