Man beat his mother-in-law over 2 days until she died, authorities say - NJ.com

An Essex County man told police he was sleep-deprived and angry about being the sole caretaker in his home when he beat his 84-year-old mother-in-law to death over two days as her son begged him to stop, according to authorities.

James J. Pica, 58, of Nutley, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Barbara Bezzone in the home he shared with her and Pica’s husband on Prospect Street, authorities said.

Pica called 911 at 8:21 p.m. on Tuesday to report that he’d killed his mother-in-law and that her body was on the floor in the living room, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by police in support of the murder charge.

When officers arrived, they found Pica sitting on the porch with “visible injuries to his hands” and the woman inside with bruises on her face, head and body, authorities said. She died at the scene, according to the affidavit.

Pica told detectives he lived with his husband and mother-in-law in the home and that his husband also required Pica’s care.

“(Pica) said he was sleep-deprived from being the sole caretaker and that he had a bad temper,” the affidavit states. Pica admitted to hitting the woman in the head and body and that when she fell to the floor, he kicked her in the head, authorities said.

“Pica stated that he hit the (victim) some yesterday and that she had bruises from the assault,” the affidavit states. “He said he continued hitting her today.”

Pica told police that his husband had nothing to do with the beating and “was begging him to stop and call the police,” the affidavit states.

Bezzone’s death remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the prosecutor’s office’s tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

source: https://www.nj.com/essex/2021/12/man-beat-his-mother-in-law-over-2-days-until-she-died-authorities-say.html

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