SOUTH TOMS RIVER MAN TO BE SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON IN CONNECTION TO FATAL 2015 SHOOTING
" Marcus Samuels Will Receive A 10-Year New Jersey State Prison For Aggravated Manslaughter."
June 8, 2021 By Art Fletcher & Kevin Peterson Reporting For: Englebrook Independent News,
SOUTH TOMS RIVER, NJ.- On Monday, June 7, 2021, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, announced that on June 4, 2021, Marcus Samuels, 32, of South Toms River, New Jersey, plead guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter, before The Honorable Guy P. Ryan, J.S.C., in connection with the shooting death of Willie Love, 27, of Beachwood, New Jersey, that occurred in South Toms River on June 8, 2015.
Samuels also plead guilty to a charge of Conspiracy To Commit Witness Tampering, as well as an unrelated charge of Aggravated Assault, with regard to an incident that occurred in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, on May 3, 2015. At the time of his sentencing on July 26, 2021, The State will recommend a term of ten-years in a New Jersey State Prison, subject to the terms of The No Early Release Act, as to the Aggravated Manslaughter charge as well ten-year New Jersey State Prison on The Conspiracy To Commit Witness Tampering charge, and five-year New Jersey State Prison Sentence on the Aggravated Assault charge. The charges are to run concurrently.
On June 8, 2015, Detectives from The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit and The South Toms River Police Department responded to Community Medical Center, in Toms River for a report of a male having suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. The male was identified to be Willie Love, who later succumbed to his injuries at Community Medical Center.
An investigation by The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit and The South Toms River Police Department revealed that Samuels- who was driving a 2004 Dodge Nitro- pulled alongside a vehicle being operated by Mr. Love which contained three passengers. Samuels then recklessly fired a handgun into Mr. Love's vehicle, striking Mr. Love, which led to his death. Samuels turned himself into Law Enforcement Authorities in the presence of his attorney, on June 12, 2021, and has been lodged in The Ocean County Jail since his surrender.
While Mr. Samuels was detained in The Ocean County Jail, pending trial on the charge, he conspired with other inmates to influence a witness into retracting or changing a statement previously provided to Law Enforcement, in connection with the investigation.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor William Porter, and Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who handled the case on behalf of The State, as well as The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office High-Tech Crime Unit, South Toms River Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff's Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and The New Jersey State Police Forensic Science Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation, which ultimately resulting in Samuels Guilty Plea.
FILED UNDER JUNE 8, 2021: LOCAL , LAW, OCEAN: