Authorities: Ex-Boyfriend Charged In Death Of Young Bergen County Mother

WALDWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Authorities in New Jersey have arrested the ex-boyfriend of a young mother who was found dead inside her Bergen County home.

Mark Spatucci, 22, has been charged with murder, child endangerment, burglary and hindering apprehension in the death of 23-year-old Mary Greff, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday. He is being held on $2 million bail.

Spatucci is Greff's ex-boyfriend and the father or her 10-month-old son, authorities said.

"Oh my God, it's hard to believe he would do that," said Joe Incardona, who rented the back house on his property to Spatucci and a pregnant Greff back in January. "I can't believe ... that's crazy. Wow! He bought really nice furniture for the baby's room. He fixed up the room like a normal couple. They were really nice people."

Authorities said Thursday that Spatucci drove to Greff's home that she shared with her parents in Waldwick on Tuesday evening, entered the house through a second-floor window and went into Greff's bedroom. The baby and Greff's parents were asleep at the time, according to authorities.

With the baby in the room, Spatucci and Greff began arguing, prosecutors said. At some point, authorities said the argument turned violent and Spatucci killed Greff, leaving her lying on the bed.

Spatucci then left the house the same way he came in, prosecutors said.

Greff's father later found his daughter dead in the bedroom. Her infant son was lying unharmed in a bassinet just a few feet away.

While the autopsy is still pending, investigators said the cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation.

Prosecutors said Spatucci and Greff started dating about two years ago. Authorities said Greff gave birth to her son in February and recently moved in with her parents after she and Spatucci split up.

According to the family, Greff had full custody of the child, but Spatucci did have court-ordered custody visitation, prosecutors said.

"He did complain about her once in a while -- that she took him to court and made him pay child support," Incardona told CBS 2's Tamara Leitner. "He wasn't happy about that. They're young, so I figured young kids are going to fight so it seemed normal to me."

Greff had just started a new job at the Tilted Kilt pub in Wayne. Co-workers there grew concerned when she didn't show up for work.

Neighbors described Greff as a doting mother.

"I'm very hurt, deeply sorry for the family that they have to go through this," one neighbor said.

"We just saw her walking the baby the other day," said neighbor John Komsa. "She was with the carriage, and she was all dressed up and walking the baby carriage."

"Mary was happy with her own baby," neighbor Antoinette Acampora told WCBS 880. "Such a shock. I don't know how the parents are going to deal with this. I really don't."

"She was a beautiful girl, very beautiful girl. It's a tragedy, a tragedy," Acampora told Leitner.

Friends said the baby, who is named Mark after his father, is doing fine.

Spatucci was tracked down Wednesday afternoon in Midland Park, authorities said. He was taken into custody and eventually arrested, prosecutors said.

He is set to appear in court Friday.

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