Former School Custodian is Killed: Found Dead in Ocean County Home

MANCHESTER — A former high school custodian who had a history of trouble with the law was found dead on the floor of his township home Monday night — an apparent victim of a homicide, officials said Wednesday.

Police found the body of Frank Stochel, 55, on the floor of his 6th Avenue home in the Pine Lake Park section.

The Ocean County Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death as a homicide but prosecutors did not say how Stochel was killed or announce whether they have identified anyone responsible for the homicide. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer on Wednesday said that there was no threat to the community.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer on Wednesday did not say what time police were notified about an "unresponsive male" at the house but township police issued an alert around 9 p.m. Monday about the investigation.

Stochel once worked as head custodian at Manchester Township High School.

His criminal record included an arrest in October in Manchester on a burglary charge.

In the weeks leading to his death, Stochel had posted a number of items for sale on his Facebook page ranging from his house and a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup truck to a stove and a signed Dallas Cowboys helmet.

Billhimer asked anyone with information about the incident to call the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027 or Manchester Township Police Department at 732-557-5111.