Missing New Jersey Woman: Ex-Boyfriend Of Stephanie Parze Found Dead In Family Home

The ex-boyfriend of a missing New Jersey woman was found dead Friday in his parents’ home.

John Ozbilgen, 29, was confirmed by his attorney to have committed suicide by hanging himself. Ozbilgen had initially been considered a person of interest in the disappearance of Stephanie Parze, 25, who went missing on Oct. 30. It was discovered that Ozbilgen sent his former partner 10 aggravated text messages the night before she went missing. Parze did not respond to them.

Authorities from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office do not consider his suicide to be suspicious.

Ozbilgen had been released from prison Tuesday in connection with an unrelated child pornography charge.

“It’s just heartbreaking and everything cause now, if it was [him], we have no idea. We’ll never know,” John Czeto, a friend of the Parze family, told CBS New York.

Authorities have revealed that Ozbilgen had been physically abusive towards Parze during their relationship. Parze’s father has said that the family did not know the ex-boyfriend very well while they were dating.

While not issuing an official statement about Ozbilgen's death, Parze’s family and friends have continued to search for her.

Hundreds of volunteers in recent days have taken part in the search for Parze, focusing on the wooded areas around her hometown of Freehold. Authorities have also conducted searches in Long Pond Park in Staten Island, near Ozbilgen’s home.