Wife charged in connection to baseball bat beating death

New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David announced today that Mary Bruno, the wife of the man beaten to death with a baseball bat last week, will face a charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. The Brunos’ tenant Dennis Roy admitted killing 68-year-old Carmine Bruno. Roy was charged with first-degree murder last week.

Initial accounts claimed Mary Bruno was drugged after the assault and incoherent for days. The DA says the investigation has led them to believe otherwise.

“We do not believe that Mary Bruno is an innocent victim and widow in her husband’s demise,” David said. “We think there was a much more active role in the days after this case than we were initially led to believe, and this charge reflects that fact.”

Mary Bruno made a first court appearance this afternoon. She is in the New Hanover County Jail under a million-dollar bond.