Mt. Laurel, NJ, woman sentenced for killing her mother in 2019

A woman from Mount Laurel is headed to prison for several decades for killing her mother.

Marisa Rivera of Mt. Laurel, NJ, Sentenced for Murder

Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw says on Thursday, 27-year-old Marisa Rivera was sentenced to 30 years behind bars without the possibility of parole after being convicted earlier this year on murder and weapons charges.

An investigation began after the body of Rivera's mother, 56-year-old Denise DeNapoli, was discovered in their Ramblewood Village apartment on the morning of September 6th, 2019, by officers with the Mount Laurel Police Department.

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Officers went to the unit to conduct a wellness check after co-workers failed to hear from DeNapoli, who had been scheduled to work from home that day.

Officials say Rivera killed her mother around 3:30 that morning and then fled the area. She was located several hours later at a hotel on Route 73 hotel and taken into custody without incident.

"Multiple stab wounds"

An autopsy performed by the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Officer determined that DeNapoli’s death was due to multiple stab wounds.

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Testimony presented at trial indicated the relationship between the two had been steadily deteriorating.

Rivera was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Conte. This case was investigated by the Mount Laurel Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.