MOUNT LAUREL, NJ — A woman was sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing her mother in their Mount Laurel apartment, officials said.
Marisa Rivera, 27, must serve the entire prison term, handed down March 8, before parole eligibility in the slaying of Denise DeNapoli. Rivera was convicted in January of first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
The victim was 56.
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DeNapoli and Rivera lived together in the Ramblewood Village apartment complex, where police discovered DeNapoli’s body on Sept. 6, 2019, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office (BCPO).
The victim was scheduled to work from home that day, but officers conducted a wellness check after DeNapoli’s colleagues never heard from her, the BCPO said.
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The investigation revealed that Rivera killed the victim at about 3:30 a.m. that morning and fled the apartment, according to law enforcement. Authorities found her and arrested her several hours later at a Route 73 hotel.
An autopsy determined that DeNapoli died from multiple stab wounds.
Judge Terrence R. Cook conducted a bench trial at Rivera’s request. According to testimony presented at the trial, Rivera and her mother had a “steadily deteriorating” relationship.
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