Man Wanted For Hazlet Carjacking & Murder Apprehended In Brooklyn

Monday, September 23, 2024, 6:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

HAZLET, NJ.- Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago reported on Thursday, September 19, 2024, that a man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a taxi driver in Hazlet on September 14, 2024, has been located and apprehended in Brooklyn, New York.

     Gaetano S. Scannavino, 25, with a last known address in Brooklyn, New York, was taken into custody by members of the New York City Police Department. Scannavino remains in custody in New York pending extradition to Monmouth County, New Jersey, to face charges in Monmouth County Superior Court in Freehold, New Jersey.

     The arrest and charges stem from an investigation that began on Saturday, September 14, 2024, when just shortly after 7:15 a.m., members of the Hazlet Police Department responded to the parking lot of 270 Route 36 after receiving a call for Emergency Medical Service.

Police Find Victim

     Upon arrival, responding Police Officers found the body of a man, later identified as Anthony Hill, 42, of Eatontown, New Jersey, on the ground near the dumpster area, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.

     A swift-moving investigation by Detectives of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hazlet Police Department led to Scannavinio being identified as the suspect and the individual responsible for the shooting death of Mr. Hill. 

Charges Filed

     Following being identified, Scannavino was formally charged with first-degree Murder; first-degree Carjacking; second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; and second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. After being charged a warrant was issued for his arrest.

     The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have additional information is urged to contact Detective Thomas Manzo, Jr., of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at (800) 533-7443 or Detective Steven Venticinque of the Hazlet Police Department at (732) 264-0763 Ext. 2138. All calls will be kept confidential.

“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”