Murder of James Monsell by Patricia Monsell examined on Snapped

Oxygen is re-airing the Snapped investigation into the murder of James Monsell by his wife, Patricia Monsell, at their home in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey.

On March 20, 2004, local businessman James Monsell was sleeping in his home when Patricia fired four shots into his head and chest. The police later claimed this was part of a plot to obtain insurance money.

A couple of months later, police officers became suspicious of a vehicle stopped in a restaurant parking lot. On inspecting the vehicle, they found James’s son, 25-year-old Jason Monsell, in the car with 99 bags of heroin.

While in custody, Jason explained that his mother, Patricia, had been trying for months to kill her husband.

Patricia had given Jason a large quantity of money to hire a contract killer, but he had used the cash to buy the heroin.

Jason claimed that on the day of the murder, Patricia told him she “couldn’t take it any longer” and that “today was the day.”

Patricia Monsell shot dead James Monsell after Jason Monsell refused to murder his dad

Patricia asked Jason to kill his father, but when he refused, she decided to do it herself. She told her son to go out the front and turn on a power washer to hide the sound of the gunshots.

The police arrested and charged Patricia with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm with the purpose of using it unlawfully against another person. Jason was also charged in connection with the murder.

Patricia posted $1 million bail using half cash and half property bond. While awaiting trial, she committed suicide by overdosing on pills.

Jason Monsell sentenced to 15 years after Patricia Monsell killed herself

The case was finally closed two years later when Jason Monsell was sentenced to 15 years for his role in his father’s murder. Jason remained emotionless throughout his sentencing, but he had his attorney, James Wronko, read out a short handwritten statement that read, “I want to apologize for all the hurt and pain this tragedy has caused my entire family. I look back now with a clear head.”

In June 2005, Bridgewater Township Police Sgt. Herbert Hentschel was awarded an Exceptional Service Award for his role in apprehending James Monsell at the restaurant parking lot, which solved the case.

Jason’s 27-year-old sister, Jennifer Monsell, took over the running of her murdered father’s store, the Four Seasons Ski and Snowboards Shop in Green Brook, NJ. She also sought to gain control of the whole family’s estate, worth about $2 million.

This episode of Snapped re-airs Friday at 6/5c on Oxygen.