By: Richard L. Smith
A 38-year-old man has been convicted of murdering his mother in her Maplewood luxury condo more than three years ago.
Benjamin Avrut was found guilty of first-degree murder by an Essex County jury for the brutal killing of his 70-year-old mother, Gwen Avrut.
According to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, the jury dismissed Avrut's insanity plea and reached a verdict after a day and a half of deliberation.
The tragic incident occurred on January 4, 2021, when Gwen Avrut was asleep in her home at The Top, a high-end high-rise with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the nearby South Mountain Reservation.
According to investigators, Benjamin Avrut entered the residence, and after his mother awoke, he proceeded to beat and fatally injure her.
Following the attack, Avrut attempted to conceal his crime by sending misleading text messages from his mother’s phone to his sister, falsely claiming his mother had attacked him.
He then tried to stage the scene to make it appear as though his mother had taken her own life, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Avrut, who had struggled with drug addiction and a gambling problem, committed the murder to inherit $9 million.
Avrut now faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for December 13.