Husband, wife strangled, buried in Beech Woods Par
By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
Nicole Taylor sobbed in state Superior Court on Monday while her boyfriend, Michael Maltese, stood expressionless before Judge Fredrick J. DeVesa.
The pair, charged in connection with the strangulation deaths of Mr. Matlese’s parents, pleaded not guilty in the New Brunswick courtroom and were being ordered back to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, where they had been held since Saturday in lieu of bail — $2 million for Mr. Maltese and $1 million for Ms. Taylor.
Mr. Maltese, 20, of 14 Maple Ave. in the Monmouth Mobile Home Park, was charged Saturday with killing his mother, Kathleen Maltese, 53, and father, Michael J. Maltese, 58, and burying them in a shallow grave in Beech Woods Park on Beekman Road on Oct. 8.
Mr. Maltese, who had lived with his parents in the Monmouth Mobil Home Park since August, faces two counts of murder, hindering his own apprehension, theft and unlawful use of his parents’ credit card.
Mr. Maltese and Ms. Taylor allegedly ran up a $27,000 bill on the victims’ credit cards, purchasing items including DVDs, sporting goods and an engagement ring, according to Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Julie Davidson.
He was arrested Oct. 18 after police determined that he had provided false information to police after reporting his parents missing. He was charged in their murder on Saturday, and is represented by public defender Richard Barker.
Ms. Taylor, 18, is accused of aiding him in the crimes. Ms. Taylor pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, theft, unlawful use of the victims’ credit cards and hindering apprehension.
Ms. Davidson would not elaborate on Ms. Taylor’s alleged role in the deaths. She is being represented by public defender Alison Accettola.
The case is being sent to the grand jury, according to Ms. Davidson.
On Monday, Middlesex County Medical Examiner Andrew Flazon ruled that both of the victims were murdered by “manual strangulation.” This means that they were strangled with bare hands, according to Ms. Davidson.
Art Roedel, the owner of Monmouth Mobil Home Park, brought in councilors to speak with residents on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He said some of the residents have been troubled by the crimes.
”We had a younger boy come by, and it was very difficult for him because he knew Michael,” Mr. Roedel said. “He knew him and he liked him, and he couldn’t imagine how Michael was capable of something like this.”
Police said that the younger Maltese and his sister, who was not named and has not been charged, reported their parents missing on Oct. 17, telling police that they had not seen them since Oct. 10. The South Brunswick Police Department, the Middlesex County prosecutor’s office and New Jersey State Police Missing Person Unit began an investigation.
According to a press release issued by police and the prosecutor’s office on Saturday, “probable cause was developed that defendant Maltese had provided false information to law enforcement authorities.” He was charged with one count of false swearing on Oct. 18 and released on his own recognizance.
Further investigation determined that “the victims were murdered by their son Michael in their home during the early morning of Oct. 8,” the release said.
Police said that the bodies were taken to Beech Woods Park and “buried in a shallow grave.” The bodies were discovered Saturday morning. Police said that Mr. Maltese and Ms. Taylor stole the victims’ credit card after the murder.
Police said that the older Maltese was a self-employed truck driver and that his wife assisted him in his business. The younger Maltese was unemployed and Ms. Taylor worked at the Stop & Shop supermarket on Route 1.
Irene Eden lives just a few lots down from where the Maltese family resided and said that she is shocked at what has happened. She described the family as personal friends, and said she can’t understand what would have driven the younger Maltese to commit such a crime.
”A lot of people said Michael was disrespectful, but he was never disrespectful to me and I never saw him be disrespectful or raise his voice to his mother or father. He always helped them,” Ms. Eden said. “It’s a tragedy, they were my friends. I can’t believe it, something terrible must have happened for Michael to do that.”
Mr. Roedel said that the Monmouth Mobile Home Park screens people who move into the community, but there are some things that are impossible to know.
”We do a credit check on all of the heads of household, and run everyone who is 18 and older past a criminal background check,” Mr. Roedel said. “What we can’t do is know and understand the chemistry of the family members in the household. Unfortunately, domestic violence can happen anywhere. It knows no social or economic bounds.”
Though extremely tragic, Mr. Roedel said, the incident is not a reflection of the Monmouth Mobil Home community or its people.
”What we need is prayers and sympathy for the families involved,” Mr. Roedel said. “This is a good place with good people. Sometimes bad things happen.”

