The death of a longtime Democratic Party official whose decomposed body was found in his Newark home this week has been ruled a homicide.

 

Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose tells the Star-Ledger that an autopsy determined that 64-year-old Gary Freda apparently was stabbed to death. But further details, including how and when the slaying may have occurred, were not disclosed.

 

Ambrose said no arrests have been made.

 

Freda's body was found around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in his single-family home on the 300 block of Park Avenue, where he lived alone. He had served as the Democratic Party's district leader for his area for many years.