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Steven McNeill, 32, was charged with Murder, Attempted Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon, and Eluding, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer
The attack happened on Friday, May 9, around 7:20 a.m., when Toms River Police responded to a 911 call about an altercation on Adams Avenue. The call was made by an off-duty Seaside Park Class II Police Officer, authorities said
Responding officers discovered a male victim, later identified as Raniek Mendez, 34, of Brick Township, with a stab wound to his chest, the prosecutor’s office said. Mendez was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he ultimately died.
A second victim, Roderick Seward, 30, of Toms River, was also stabbed and taken by a family member to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.
Investigators learned that just before the fatal stabbing — at 5:50 a.m. the same day — officers had been called to the same residence for an earlier fight involving McNeill and Seward. McNeill left before officers arrived and the scene was cleared
Detectives later identified a vehicle that fled the scene. Officers found it in Jackson Township and attempted to stop it.
“The driver of that vehicle — later identified as McNeill — ultimately brought the vehicle to a stop; McNeill was thereafter taken into custody without incident,” the prosecutor’s office said
McNeill is currently being held in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. During a search of the Adams Avenue residence, police found a backpack belonging to Seward.
“Detectives seized an amount of Cocaine,” officials said. Seward was charged with Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine. He was issued a summons
“We have recovered a shell casing from the scene and have a witness report of hearing a single gunshot, but we have not recovered a weapon at this point in time,” Prosecutor Billhimer said. “This investigation remains active and ongoing”
Authorities credited the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Police, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their quick work leading to McNeill’s arrest.
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