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Inset: Stacy E. Kless (Facebook). Background: Home in the 100 block of Seward Drive in Ocean Township, New Jersey, where Kless was allegedly killed by her husband (Google Maps).
Michael Kless now faces charges including first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The victim, 66-year-old Stacy E. Kless, was his wife of nearly 40 years. This tragic incident was brought to light by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, which confirmed the charges. Police were called to the couple’s residence in Ocean Township on Seward Drive around 9:30 a.m. after receiving two alarming reports of a murder.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Stacy Kless deceased inside the home. Her husband, the primary suspect, was later found unconscious in his vehicle at a nearby rest stop on the Garden State Parkway. He was immediately taken to a hospital and remains in critical condition.
Further details emerged from a probable cause arrest warrant obtained by the Asbury Park Press. It revealed that after committing the crime, Michael Kless sent text messages to their two adult children, confessing to the murder. Additionally, he reportedly emailed another individual, admitting to the crime and expressing a longstanding animosity towards his wife. The email also disclosed his involvement in a new relationship with a woman from Central America and described the murder, aligning with evidence found at the scene.
The Asbury Park Press obtained a probable cause arrest warrant that said after the suspect killed his wife, he texted their two adult children to admit what he had done. He also allegedly sent an emailed admission to another person. The email reportedly “indicated a long simmering ‘hatred’ of Victim Kless, his involvement in a new intimate relationship with a woman from Central America, and a description of the murder itself” that matched evidence from the scene.
He also reportedly told his children that he planned to take his own life by ingesting prescription pills.
Cops then reportedly learned that about a half-hour before they were called, a work crew came to the home for a scheduled repair. When Michael Kless came to the door, he had a scratch on his face and insisted they reschedule their work, the affidavit reportedly said.
Ocean Township Mayor John P. Napolitani Sr. told the Park Press the murder has left the community “blindsided.” The couple was married 39 years and had grandchildren.
“Nobody saw this coming,” Napolitani told the outlet. “There was not a clue this was going to happen.”