OCEAN CITY, N.J. — A 46-year-old man has been arrested in Ocean City, New Jersey, after confessing to the murder and decapitation of his mother. The shocking incident unfolded on Friday, Dec. 8, around 4 p.m. when Jeffrey Surgent called 911, stating that he suffers from mental illness bipolar disorder and that he had killed his mother.
Upon receiving the distress call, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and Ocean City Police Department swiftly responded and arrived at Surgent’s residence on the 600 block of 6th Street. They discovered the lifeless body of his 74-year-old mother. Surgent, who was naked at the time, was found on top of her body in a hallway outside his apartment. The grisly scene included the mother’s severed head a short distance away.
According to court documents obtained from NJ.com, Surgent was observed yelling and expressing remorse for his actions. He allegedly tossed his mother’s head outside the door before pulling her body into the hallway and lying on top of her as officers arrived.
Housing authority surveillance footage shows a head roll out of the apartment “at a high rate of speed,” the affidavit said. After being struck by a wall, the head rolled to where police later found it. Shortly after, Surgent could be seen on video peeking out of the apartment and then pulling his mother’s body into the hallway, according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, Surgent screamed “over and over” that he had killed his mother as police handcuffed him and took him out of the building. He then began to sing “Jesus Loves Me.”
Authorities previously reported that Surgent was taken under police supervision to a medical facility. Jail records indicate that he was taken to the Cape May County Correctional Facility the next day. Details regarding Surgent’s mental health history and any prior incidents that may have raised concerns have not yet been released.
Surgent is being charged with murder in the first degree, illegal possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Residents mourn the loss of the 74-year-old victim and grapple with the reality of such a heinous act committed within their community. Authorities will work diligently to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the murder, providing justice for the victim and her family.