A New Jersey woman and an alleged Bloods gangbanger posed with the dismembered body of a landlord with a hatchet in his chest in grisly photos investigators unexpectedly uncovered following a whirlwind path of recent crimes.

The macabre saga began last month when 25-year-old Gabriella Caroleo reportedly got into an argument with her ex-boyfriend in Manchester Township, New Jersey, which is located in the central part of the state near the coast. On June 27, Caroleo reportedly called 911 to notify authorities that her ex-boyfriend — 35-year-old Maxwell Johnston — shot her. Caroleo was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and later died.

Police brought cadaver dogs to the property and made a gruesome discovery.

Caroleo also texted her mother moments before the deadly shooting to ask her to call the police, saying she was in fear for her life, according to assistant Ocean County prosecutor Eleni Demestihas.

On July 5, detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Manchester Township Police Department, and United States Marshals Service finally located Johnston at a residence in Toms River.

Johnston — an alleged Bloods gang member who had a gun during the seven-hour standoff — allegedly was holed up in the house with four other individuals.

Marshals negotiators persuaded Danielle Bolstad, 42, Jared Krysiak, 34, and Jarred Palumbo, 36, to exit the home. Hours later, 29-year-old Elizabeth Mascarelli reportedly exited the residence and was transported to Community Medical Center to be treated for injuries sustained during the standoff.

"The residence was subsequently cleared using a drone, and Johnston was located in a bedroom, deceased, with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head," according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutors accused Mascarelli of housing Johnston — a known fugitive — for four days despite her knowing about Caroleo's fatal shooting.

Mascarelli was arrested and charged with harboring a fugitive from justice.

The Toms River home where the standoff occurred belonged to 56-year-old Kerry Rollason, but he was not in the house. He allegedly was a landlord who rented it out.

Detectives executed a court-authorized search warrant on the home and found a defaced .22 caliber handgun, according to the prosecutor's office. Evidence that a murder had been committed at the house allegedly was found as well.

On July 11, disturbing photos were discovered during a forensic examination of Mascarelli's cell phone.

"Photographs were observed which depicted Mascarelli and Johnston in close proximity to an individual being clearly deceased and amputated at the top of his legs, with a hatchet in his chest, the hatchet being held by Mascarelli," Demestihas said, according to the Asbury Park Press.

The assistant prosecutor said the photos were taken in the basement of Rollason's home.

Demestihas added, "Additional images were recovered depicting Mascarelli, Johnston and Danielle Bolstad in a wooded area, with Johnston holding a large ax, and an active burn barrel behind him. An item with red staining, possibly blood, was also seen protruding from the barrel."

Police determined the location of the wooded area was in nearby Jackson and conducted a search of the property on July 11.

Investigators found numerous gloves, some similar to the ones Mascarelli and Johnston were wearing in the photos, according to Demestihas. Tests revealed the gloves had human blood soaked into them.

Demestihas noted that a knife was found in the barrel, and there were two pick axes and a shovel nearby.

The following day, police brought cadaver dogs to the property and made a gruesome discovery.

Approximately 100 yards from the burn barrel, police reportedly found numerous body parts in black bags and blankets. The assistant prosecutor said authorities also found several live 9mm rounds of ammunition, the hatchet Mascarelli was seen holding in the pictures, a saw, clothing, and multiple latex gloves.

The property owner told investigators he saw Johnston and Mascarelli there July 3 after Bolstad dropped them off in the area of the burn barrel, Demestihas said during Wednesday detention hearings for Mascarelli and Bolstad.

Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels ordered Mascarelli and Bolstad be held without bail at the Ocean County Jail.

Investigators determined Rollason was murdered July 3.

Surveillance footage from nearby homes showed Bolstad's car leaving July 3 around 12:38 a.m. and not returning until 4:31 a.m., Demestihas stated.

Palumbo reportedly told investigators he was in Rollason's basement with Krysiak during the early morning hours of July 3 when he suddenly heard three gunshots. He claimed that moments later, Johnston instructed them to leave the house immediately.

"Upon returning a short time later, Johnston began cutting the limbs off the decedent with the help of Mascarelli and Krysiak," Palumbo told the detectives, according to Demestihas.

Palumbo admitted to helping move Rollason's body parts, the assistant prosecutor stated.

Roughly three hours later, Palumbo allegedly was asked to bring up several bags from the basement and load them in Bolstad's car.

Palumbo was charged with hindering Johnston's apprehension and failing to dispose of human remains in a lawful manner.

Rollason's cause of death was determined to be from multiple gunshot wounds in addition to blunt force trauma, and the manner of death was a homicide.

Krysiak faces a detention hearing Friday.

Citing an autopsy conducted by the Ocean County Medical Examiner, the Toms River Patch reported that Rollason had been shot three times and bullets pierced his heart and liver. The landlord also suffered a significant skull fracture caused by blunt-force trauma. He was dismembered into eight pieces, according to authorities.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer declared, "The crimes committed against Mr. Rollason are unsettling and disturbing. I am thankful for the law enforcement professionals that worked diligently to uncover these depraved and soulless crimes."

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