SOUTH TOMS RIVER – A local man was sentenced to 10 years in State prison for the shooting death of a Beachwood man in 2015.
Marcus Samuels, 32, of South Toms River, previously pleaded guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter. He was sentenced recently to 10 years in prison. He has to serve at least 85% of that term before being eligible for parole due to the No Early Release Act.
Samuels also was sentenced to five years in prison for an unrelated charge of Aggravated Assault from an incident in Seaside Heights on May 3, 2015.
In the manslaughter incident, Samuels drove a car up to one driven by Willie Love, 27, of Beachwood, on June 8, 2015. He “recklessly” fired a gun into the other car, striking Love in the chest, police said. There were three other people in Love’s car. Love died of his injuries in Community Medical Center in Toms River shortly thereafter.
He surrendered to law enforcement on June 12, 2015.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer acknowledged the efforts of Chief Narcotics 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 Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Science, for their collaborative efforts.
