A Toms River man has been charged with multiple weapons offenses in connection with a deadly altercation in May, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Tuesday.
Roderick Seward, 30, of Toms River, was charged on July 1 with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose related to an incident on May 9 in Toms River Township.
According to authorities, on May 9 at approximately 7:20 a.m., Toms River Township Police officers responded to a 911 call reporting an altercation at a residence on Adams Avenue. The call came from an off-duty Seaside Park Class II police officer who had been leaving a nearby convenience store.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Raniek Mendez, 34, of Brick Township, with a stab wound to the chest. Mendez was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he died from his injuries. Witnesses at the scene also reported hearing a gunshot, and investigators recovered a single shell casing.
Further investigation revealed that Seward had also been stabbed at the Adams Avenue residence. He was transported by a family member to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities determined that earlier that morning, at approximately 5:50 a.m., officers had responded to the same address for a report of an altercation between Seward and a man later identified as McNeill. McNeill had left the scene, and responding officers subsequently cleared the call.
A continuing investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified a vehicle fleeing the scene of the stabbings. Toms River officers later located the vehicle traveling in Jackson Township. After initially refusing to stop, the driver — identified as McNeill — pulled over and was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators determined that McNeill was responsible for Mendez’s fatal stabbing, as well as the stabbing of Seward. On May 9, McNeill 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. He is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending trial.
Detectives also executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Adams Avenue residence, where they located a backpack belonging to Seward. A subsequent search of the backpack revealed a quantity of cocaine, leading to charges of Possession of Less than One Half Ounce of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Cocaine. Those charges were served to Seward by summons pending court appearances in Ocean County Superior Court.
Further investigation revealed that Seward was the individual who fired a gun during the altercation on May 9. As a result, on July 1, Seward was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. Seward turned himself in that same day at Toms River Township Police Headquarters and was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.