Ex-Husband In Holmdel Home Invasion Case Released From Jail

HOLMDEL, NJ - The ex-husband of a former “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star was released from jail on Friday as he awaits trial tied to a 2017 Holmdel home invasion and assault case.

Thomas Manzo, 56, of Franklin Lakes, was indicted earlier this month for his role as an accomplice to robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, theft and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in connection with a home invasion that left his ex-wife Claudine “Dina” Manzo and her then-finance David Cantin zip-tied and beaten with a baseball bat, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Manzo is also charged as the sole actor in two counts of fourth degree stalking related to the same two victims.

According to authorities, at around 10:54 p.m. on May 13, 2017, officers from the Holmdel Township Police Department responded to a report of a home invasion robbery at a townhouse on Banyan Boulevard. Manzo, then 45, and Cantin, then 37, arrived home at their townhouse and were confronted by two men who were in the house, prosecutors said. One man hit Cantin several times with a baseball bat while the other punched Manzo repeatedly. The couple then was tied up after the actors stole a $60,000 engagement ring and $500 in cash and ran away.

Cantin was able to free himself and called the police, and he and Manzo were taken to the hospital for treatment. He suffered significant facial injuries, including a broken nose, and Manzo was treated for facial injuries. Both were treated and released that night, prosecutors said.

Thomas Mainello, 53, of Bayonne, who has been held at Monmouth County Jail since his arrest and has pleaded not guilty, allegedly committed the robbery with another accomplice, prosecutors said. The third individual has yet to be identified.

At a Friday pre-trial detention hearing, Assistant Prosecutor Caitlin Sidley said that "the victims have changed their lives based on their constant fear of the defendant and who the defendant knows," according to the Asbury Park Press. Thomas Manzo reportedly pulled up scores of online searches related to Dina Manzo and David Cantin, including searches on Google, LexisNexis and Spokeo. He also reportedly hired a private investigator to inquire about Cantin’s 8-year-old son’s Little League game schedule, the publication said.

Manzo was previously indicted in 2020 for allegedly hiring a hit on Cantin in exchange for a discounted wedding, according to NJ.com. He was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit an assault with a dangerous weapon and an assault and wire fraud among other charges alongside John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove. A federal indictment names Perna as a member of the Lucchese crime family and Manzo as an associate.

In connection with the home invasion in Holmdel, the Press reports that individuals ranging from the executive vice president of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association to the former bishop of the Diocese of Paterson in support of Manzo’s release.