Gwen Ruth Avrut, a 70-year-old resident of Maplewood, New Jersey, was found dead in her home on January 4, 2021. Concerns from a family member prompted police to visit her residence on South Orange Avenue, where they discovered her unresponsive with what were described as serious injuries. She was officially pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. The investigation into her death quickly turned into a homicide investigation.
Within a day of the discovery of his mother's body, authorities arrested her 35-year-old son, Benjamin Avrut, also of Maplewood. He was subsequently charged with the murder of his mother. Prosecutors would later allege that the motive for the killing was financial, stating that Benjamin Avrut killed his mother to gain access to a significant inheritance. Details that emerged during the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings painted a grim picture of the events leading to Gwen Avrut's death.
It was revealed that she died from a physical assault.
In October 2024, an Essex County jury convicted Benjamin Avrut of first-degree murder. During the trial, prosecutors presented a case that detailed how he had beaten his mother to death. The defense had put forward an insanity defense, which was ultimately rejected by the jury after a period of deliberation. Following his conviction, Benjamin Avrut faced a lengthy prison sentence for the murder of his mother.
