Seaside Heights, NJ man sentenced for death of woman found in hotel room

SEASIDE HEIGHTS — A borough man has been sentenced to decades behind bars for the death of a 29-year-old woman in 2021.

Gerardo Ruiz, 51, was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison as a result of his guilty plea this September to aggravated manslaughter.

On the morning of May 1, 2021, police received a tip that Ruiz had killed a female at the Offshore Motel, and that he was staying at the Surfside Motel nearby.

When officers responded to a room at the Offshore, they located the body of Alecia Perreault, of Seaside Heights. She had wounds to her neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers then responded to Ruiz's room at the Surfside Motel and found him experiencing an apparent drug overdose, authorities said. He was transported to a local hospital for care and has been detained in a secure medical facility ever since.

Ruiz will be required to serve at least 85% of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole.

Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com

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