State Seeks 23-Year Prison Term Under No Early Release Act In Triple Shooting Outside Hookah Lounge
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 1:45 P.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
TOMS RIVER, NJ.- An Asbury Park man has admitted responsibility for a 2022 triple shooting outside a Toms River hookah lounge that left one man dead and two others wounded, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on Friday, February 27, 2026, Eric Manzanares, 26, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, appeared in Ocean County Superior Court and pleaded guilty before the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., to one count of Aggravated Manslaughter and two counts of Aggravated Assault in connection with the fatal shooting that occurred on August 27, 2022.
At sentencing, scheduled for April 24, 2026, the State will seek a term of 23 years in New Jersey State Prison on the Aggravated Manslaughter conviction and 10 years in New Jersey State Prison on each of the two Aggravated Assault counts. Prosecutors have indicated that the sentences will run concurrently and be subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA), which requires Manzanares to serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
If imposed as recommended, the 23-year sentence would require Manzanares to serve approximately 19.55 years before becoming eligible for parole.
The August 27, 2022, Shooting;
According to authorities, at approximately 1:20 a.m. on August 27, 2022, members of the Toms River Township Police Department responded to the Top Tier Hookah Lounge, located at 1769 Hooper Avenue, for a report of gunshots being fired.
Responding officers discovered three victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Nymere Tinsley sustained a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen. He was transported to Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.
Two additional victims were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for medical treatment. Authorities said Anthony Miller, 30, of Neptune Township, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach and was treated and released. Jamal Bland, 26, of Asbury Park, sustained a gunshot wound to his elbow and was likewise treated and released.
Investigation And Arrest;
A joint and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, the Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined that Manzanares was responsible for shooting all three victims.
On August 27, 2022, Manzanares was initially charged with Murder, Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. A warrant was issued for his arrest that same day, and his information was entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
Manzanares remained at large for more than seven months.
On April 7, 2023, he was apprehended by law enforcement in Prince William County, Virginia. Following his arrest, he was lodged in the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center in Manassas, Virginia.
After completion of extradition proceedings, Manzanares was transferred to Ocean County on January 24, 2024. He has remained lodged in the Ocean County Jail since that date, pending resolution of the charges.
Legal Significance Of The Plea;
By pleading guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter rather than Murder, Manzanares acknowledged that he recklessly caused death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life, a first-degree offense under New Jersey law.
The No Early Release Act applies to the offenses in this case, mandating that 85 percent of the custodial sentence be served before parole eligibility. The sentencing decision ultimately rests with the court at the April 24, 2026, hearing.
Editor’s Note:
This article was written by Art Fletcher, Executive Editor, and is based on official information released by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and proceedings conducted in Ocean County Superior Court on February 27, 2026. Sentencing recommendations announced by prosecutors are subject to approval by the presiding judge at the time of sentencing.
