'Significant mental health history.' Somerville man charged with murdering former classmate will remain in jail, judge says

The man charged with the stabbing death of 27-year-old Maryrose Fealey made his first court appearance Friday morning.

David Shroitman will be held without bail. Assistant Somerset County prosecutor Gerard Tyrrell argued releasing Shroitman would be a danger to the community. However, assistant deputy public defender Emma Pallarino argued for Shroitman’s release until his next court date saying he has no previous criminal history whatsoever but did admit Shroitman has a history of mental health issues.

“He does have a significant mental health history, and presently suffers from severe migraines and other medical conditions,” Pallarino said.

The feeling inside Friday's detention hearing was very tense as family members of Fealey crowded inside the courtroom.

Tyrrell said Shroitman was identified by investigators as a suspect during the night of Fealey’s murder through word of mouth.

“Would like to make it clear at this point that there is no evidence to suggest that there was any form of romantic relationship between these two individuals,” Tyrrell said.

After hearing the arguments, the judge said the court believes Schroitman poses a grave danger to the community if released.

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Fealey was found stabbed to death outside of her apartment complex on Jan. 30. Police have revealed through the criminal complaint that Shroitman had a step-by-step plan of how he was going to commit the crime. The grisly manifesto, which the Somerset County prosecutor says detailed his plan, was apparently found in Shroitman’s apartment at Brookside Gardens. His apartment is less than a mile from Fealey’s home on North Bridge Street.

Police say Shroitman and Fealey knew one another and graduated together from Somerville High School in 2014. Officials have not confirmed if the two were recently in contact and to what extent they knew each other.

The criminal complaint explains that when police entered Shroitman’s apartment, they found bleach, latex gloves and blood near the entrance to the home and bathroom. Investigators were also able to locate surveillance video of the suspect near Fealey’s home on the night of the murder.

Funeral services for Fealey took place earlier this week. A motive for the murder has not been revealed.

Shroitman’s next court date is scheduled for March 22.