A New Jersey man, Michael A. Kless, is facing charges of first-degree murder after allegedly confessing to killing his wife, Stacy E. Kless, in family messages and an email expressing deep-seated resentment. This was followed by an attempted suicide, according to court documents.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced the charges last week. A probable cause affidavit revealed that Ocean Township police were alerted on May 27 at around 9:32 a.m. A caller reported that Kless had claimed responsibility for his wife’s death and expressed suicidal intentions. Another call 14 minutes later from a different individual confirmed an email from Kless admitting to the murder.
The email described longstanding animosity toward Stacy Kless, a romantic engagement with another woman from Central America, and included specifics of the incident aligning with the evidence found at their residence.
Workers scheduled for repairs at the Kless home arrived at 9:05 a.m., encountering Michael Kless with visible injuries. He allegedly barred entry and requested a later appointment. Responding officers forced entry into the Seward Drive home, discovering Stacy Kless deceased in the basement with a barbell across her neck.
Authorities later discovered Michael Kless in an unconscious state at a New Jersey rest area, as indicated in court filings. He has been charged additionally with third-degree unlawful weapon possession and fourth-degree weapon possession, with the identified weapon being a barbell. Investigators labeled the case as domestic violence, noting attempted or actual strangulation.
Investigators tracked his vehicle on the Garden State Parkway and learned from a subsequent contact that he was trying to overdose at a rest stop. The couple’s children provided text evidence of their father’s admissions regarding their mother’s death. Multiple electronic devices were seized as part of the investigation.
Currently, Kless remains in a state of hospitalization while under the custody of the Monmouth County Jail. Under the law, Michael A. Kless holds the presumption of innocence until a legal decision is made.