GRUESOME

Man Accused of Beating Mother-in-Law to Death Over 2 Days Claims He Was ‘Sleep-Deprived’

An affidavit of probable cause states that Pica claimed he “was sleep-deprived from being the sole caretaker and had a bad temper.”

A New Jersey man charged with beating his mother-in-law to death over two days blamed it on being “sleep-deprived” and having “a bad temper,” according to police documents. James J. Pica, 58, of Essex County, is accused of killing Barbara Bezzone, his 84-year-old live-in mother-in-law. An affidavit of probable cause filed by police notes that Pica called 911 on Tuesday evening and informed authorities that he had killed Bezzone and that her body was lying on the living room floor. Authorities found him sitting on the porch when they arrived with injuries to his hands and Bezzone inside with bruises across her face and body. “(Pica) said he was sleep-deprived from being the sole caretaker and that he had a bad temper,” the affidavit said.

According to the affidavit, Bezzone’s son, who is married to Pica and lives in the same home, did not participate in the beating and “was begging him to stop and call the police.”