Monmouth County prosecutors say 67-year-old man used barbell in deadly attack before being found unconscious at rest stop
OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A Monmouth County man has been charged with murdering his wife after investigators discovered a woman dead inside the couple’s home and later located the suspect unconscious in a vehicle along the Garden State Parkway.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Friday that 67-year-old Michael A. Kless has been charged in connection with the death of his wife, 66-year-old Stacy E. Kless.
According to prosecutors, Ocean Township police officers responded at approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of Seward Drive after receiving two separate 911 calls reporting a murder at the residence.
When officers arrived, they found Stacy Kless deceased inside the home.
An investigation conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and the Ocean Township Police Department identified Michael Kless as the person responsible for the killing, authorities said.
Prosecutors charged Kless with first-degree murder, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, identified as a barbell, and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Following the homicide, Kless was discovered unconscious inside his vehicle at a New Jersey rest stop off the Garden State Parkway.
Officials said he was transported to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Authorities have not released additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding the homicide or how Kless became unconscious.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Stephen Cavendish at 732-431-7160 ext. 7051 or Ocean Township Police Detective Michael Legg at 732-531-1428.
The case has been assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the Major Crimes Bureau.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Key Points
- Michael A. Kless, 67, is charged with murdering his wife, Stacy Kless, 66
- The victim was found dead inside the couple’s Seward Drive home in Ocean Township
- Prosecutors said Kless was later found unconscious at a Garden State Parkway rest stop and remains hospitalized in critical condition