Brick Woman to Face Murder Charge in Beating Death of Her Grandmother, 94

A Brick Township woman who has been held by authorities for over a week in the brutal beating of her 94-year-old grandmother will now face a murder charge.

Katherine Schubert, 37, has formally been charged with first degree murder in the death of Mary Francis Driscol, 94, her grandmother with whom she lived, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday morning.

Driscol, who had been hospitalized since her daughter and one of her granddaughter's friends found her beaten, semi-conscious and slumped on a bed May 18, died May 24. The following day, Dr. Ian Hood, Forensic Pathologist for the Ocean County Medical Examiner's Office, conducted an autopsy of Driscol and ruled the woman's death a homicide, determining the cause of death to be from complications of head trauma, according to a joint statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Brick Police Chief Nils R. Bergquist.

Schubert, who reportedly lived with her grandmother in her Courtshire Drive home in Brick Township's Lion's Head North adult community, was found "highly intoxicated" in the home when her mother, Michele Schubert – who is also the daughter of Driscol - went there after not being able to reach her mother for two days.

Michele Schubert and a friend of Katherine Schubert also discovered the severely beaten victim and called police.

Katherine Schubert faces a life prison term if convicted on the murder charge, the statement said. She remains lodged in the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $750,000 cash bail, an increase from the $150,000 cash bail that had been set when she was only charged with aggravated assault.