Rutgers Student William Parisio, Accused In Pamela Schmidt's Murder, Used 'Bath Salts' To Get High

A Rutgers University student has been charged in the death of another student, whose badly beaten body was discovered Sunday.

William "Bill" Parisio, 23, was charged Monday with the murder of 22-year-old Pamela Schmidt, reports CBS.

According to the Daily Targum, Parisio's mother discovered Schmidt's body in her basement on Sunday afternoon, after the young woman had spent the night at the Parisio household. An autopsy by the county medical examiner confirmed that Schmidt had been dead when found. Officials ruled that she had been the victim of a homicide.

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Schmidt and Parisio had been dating for four to five years. She was to graduate from Rutgers in May with degrees in psychology and labor studies and had plans to pursue a master's degree at the university next fall.

Parisio's mother told the Star-Ledger that her son had withdrawn from Rutgers this semester due to his struggles with drugs. He was slated to check in to rehab on Monday.

She added that her son had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 19, but that he had rarely been violent. She believes that his use of mephedrone, commonly referred to as bath salts, drove him to a paranoid state.

According to Patch.com, Parisio had previously interned for shock jock Howard Stern.

Parisio is currently being held at the Elizabeth Union County jail on a $400,000 cash bond.