Mother of young son fatally shot near NJ military base

☑️ A woman was found late Thursday afternoon near the Joint Base

☑️ A suspect was not named by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer

☑️ Friends identified her as Gabriella M. Caroleo who has a son

MANCHESTER  — A woman who was found shot in the stomach late Thursday afternoon near the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will be laid to rest Tuesday as the search for her killer continues.

The 25-year-old was found around 4:55 p.m. near the intersection of Ridgeway (Route 571) and Hope Chapel (Route 547) roads in Manchester, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer. The woman was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, where she later died.

Billhimer on Tuesday said the investigation is "active and ongoing."  He said there was "some law enforcement activity in Howell" related to the investigation Monday night but it did not involve a barricaded subject. The prosecutor did not disclose the identity of a suspect or a possible motive for the shooting.

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"A young vibrant, strong independent woman"

An obituary and a GoFundMe page identify the woman as Gabriella M. Caroleo, 25, of Barnegat, the mother of a young boy. According to her obituary, she was born in Staten Island and moved to New Jersey 18 years ago.

"A young vibrant, strong independent woman who loved the color purple and enjoyed laughing with her great sense of humor. She collected Jordans, & Nike sneakers, and listened to Rap, R&B and Country music and was kind, giving, good hearted," her obituary says.

A GoFundMe fundraiser was created to help with funeral expenses.

Visitation is scheduled at the Oliverie Funeral Home on Ridgeway Road in Manchester Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a service at 6 p.m.

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