Ernest Martin "Ernie" Ingenito was an American spree killer who shot nine people, his wife Theresa Mazzoli and her family, killing five and injuring four, on November 17,1950, in Franklin Township and Minotola, New Jersey.
18 Facts About Ernest Ingenito
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Ernest Ingenito was the oldest of three children and was born into a family of Italian descent.
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Ernest Ingenito continued to go in and out of reformatories for the next few years until he was paroled and allowed to return to Wildwood to live with his mother.
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Two years into the marriage, Ernest Ingenito was drafted to serve in the US Army; during World War II, he was stationed at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
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Ernest Ingenito was dishonorably discharged in 1946 after being court-martialed twice: once for going AWOL, and a second for striking two superior officers.
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Ernest Ingenito served two years of an eight-year sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility, the military prison at Sing Sing, for the second offense.
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Shortly after his discharge, Ernest Ingenito married 21-year-old Theresa Mazzoli, the daughter of Michael and Pearl Mazzoli, who owned a truck farm on Piney Hollow Road in Franklin Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
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Theresa convinced Ernest Ingenito to move in with her family and the young couple initially appeared to have had a happy marriage.
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Ernest Ingenito moved a few miles away to board with Al and Kay Rulis, friends of his father.
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Ernest Ingenito confronted Theresa and demanded to see their children; when Michael intervened, Ingenito shot him twice, killing him.
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Ernest Ingenito shot her mother, Theresa Pioppi, in the doorway, then stepped over her body to shoot and kill his wife's pregnant aunt, Marion Pioppi.
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Ernest Ingenito wounded his wife's nine-year-old cousin, Jeannie, then shot and killed Pearl Mazzoli, who tried to hide in a closet.
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Ernest Ingenito killed John Pioppi, one of Pearl's brothers, who had chased after Ernest Ingenito with a knife.
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Ernest Ingenito continued his killing spree, driving to Minotola, where Theresa's aunt and uncle, Frank and Hilda Mazzoli, lived.
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Ernest Ingenito shot both of them in front of their two younger children, Barbara and Frank Jr.
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Ernest Ingenito was initially sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Pearl Mazzoli.
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Since New Jersey did not have a life sentence without possibility of parole at the time, Ernest Ingenito was released in 1974 and lived in Trenton, where he worked for Trap Rock Industries.
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Ernest Ingenito died in prison of heart failure on October 7,1995.