❗ A North Jersey man is charged with murder

❗ He is accused of killing his wife using a pillow and trying to hide his involvement

❗ The husband threw out her belongings in a dumpster, authorities said


HASBROUCK HEIGHTS — A 71-year-old man is accused of killing his wife and plotting to cover up the murder.

Michael Manis is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree desecrating human remains, third-degree hindering the apprehension of oneself, and fourth-degree false report to police. He was arrested Sunday, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

Hasbrouck Heights police were called to Manis's home at 110 Hamilton Avenue on Sunday around 5 p.m., Musella said.

Manis had picked up the phone and called 911 to report that his wife had been killed. He told police that he had just arrived home and found his wife's body, Musella said.

Michael Manis's home in Hasbrouck Heights (Google Maps)
Michael Manis's home in Hasbrouck Heights (Google Maps)
loading...

But an investigation found that Manis had actually killed his wife on Friday and staged a robbery to conceal the murder, Musella said.

Manis admitted to suffocating his wife to death using a pillow, a criminal complaint said. In staging the home invasion, he then hid her jewelry in the basement ceiling and threw out some of her other belongings in a dumpster behind the 7-Eleven at 300 Hackensack Street in Woodbridge, according to the complaint.

The victim has been identified as Judith Manis, the complaint said. Property records show the couple had owned the home on Hamilton Ave since 1996.

Manis is now retired, according to authorities. State records show he owned his own company — Michael Manis Lighting, LLC — and ran it out of his home in Hasbrouck Heights.

In 2014, the state Board of Public Utilities suspended the company from all New Jersey Clean Energy Programs. Documents show that he submitted the same improperly altered forms multiple times and that the board issued the suspension for "intentional misconduct."

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom

LOOK: Do you know these 50 famous acronyms?

This list from Stacker features a collection of the most common acronyms and their meanings. Popular abbreviations include establishments like ACLU, YMCA, ad the AARP.

Pictures of a $16.5M private island home being sold by NJ doctor

Pictures of a $16.5M private island home being sold by NJ doctor

NJ breweries with top-rated beer

The reviews are in — see which NJ breweries have the most beers with a great rating on BeerAdvocate.

More From 94.3 The Point