FREEHOLD – The former boyfriend of a missing 25-year-old township woman was found dead at his residence this morning.
The body of John D. Ozbilgen, 29, who had been named as a person of interest in the ongoing missing person’s case of Stephanie Parze, was discovered by authorities and according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office, his death has not been deemed “suspicious at this time.”
Ozbilgen had been recently released from jail after being charged with possession of child pornography and that investigation remains active.
Freehold Township police vehicles and several unmarked police SUVs were parked at the scene on Friday which was about a block from Kings Mount Road which was cordoned off with yellow crime tape.
Four pedestrians were observed in tears as they watched the investigation where ambulances were originally present.
Sharlene Parze, the mother of the woman who disappeared nearly a month ago was apparently aware of Ozbilgen’s death but has made no comment to the press. Some social media posts have suggested Ozbilgen committed suicide but this has not been verified by authorities.
Stephanie Parze vanished on October 30. She was last seen at 10 p.m. that night following a trip to see a medium in New Brunswick according to her father, Edward Parze. Her plan was return to her late grandmother’s home in Freehold, where she was living.
Ozbligen, 29, who had been Parze’s girlfriend sent a number of texts on October 30 one of which was very derogatory while another said she “always has to make their relationship so difficult.” He had been charged with simple assault for allegedly striking Parze in the head on September 23. According to the Prosecutor’s Office.
These textes were revealed during Ozbligen’s detention hearing on an unrelated charge of child pornography possession. He was released pending trial on that charge. He was however named as a person of interest in the Parze case.
Family members and friends are holding on to hope that Parze will be located. Law enforcement officers have searched areas of a Staten Island, NY park and her parents organized volunteer searches within Monmouth County.
