A Jackson Township man has been indicted on multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder, in connection with a deadly altercation that took place in Toms River earlier this year, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Steven McNeill, 32, was indicted by an Ocean County Grand Jury on charges of Murder, Attempted Murder, two counts each of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Eluding, and Certain Persons Not to Possess Weapons. The indictment stems from an incident that occurred on May 9, 2025, at a residence on Adams Avenue in Toms River.
In the same case, Roderick Seward, 30, of Toms River, was also indicted on multiple charges, including Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Certain Persons Not to Possess Weapons, and drug-related offenses — specifically Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. on May 9, Toms River Police responded to a 911 call reporting an altercation on Adams Avenue. The call was made by an off-duty Class II Seaside Park police officer who had been near the scene. Upon arrival, officers discovered Raniek Mendez, 34, of Brick Township, suffering from a stab wound to the chest. He was transported to Community Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
Witnesses at the scene also reported hearing a gunshot. Detectives recovered a single shell casing from the area. A second individual, later identified as Seward, was also found to have sustained stab wounds. He was taken to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township by a family member and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities later determined that earlier that same morning, at approximately 5:50 a.m., police had responded to a separate 911 call from the same residence. At that time, officers learned that McNeill and Seward had been involved in an altercation. McNeill had left the scene prior to their arrival, and the situation was cleared.
A joint investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified a vehicle believed to have fled the scene. Toms River police located the vehicle in Jackson Township and attempted a traffic stop. After initially failing to comply, the driver — later identified as McNeill — eventually stopped the vehicle and was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators later determined that McNeill was responsible for both Mendez’s fatal stabbing and the non-fatal stabbing of Seward. He was arrested on May 9 and remains detained at the Ocean County Jail pending trial.
A court-authorized search of the Adams Avenue residence uncovered a backpack belonging to Seward. Inside, detectives found a quantity of cocaine, leading to the initial drug charges against him. Seward was served with those charges via summons and was scheduled for future court appearances.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Seward had fired a gun during the altercation. As a result, he was charged on July 1 with additional weapons offenses. He voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Toms River Police Department and was later released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.
Both cases remain pending in Ocean County Superior Court.
