Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on February 27, 2025, William Anderson, 60, of Browns Mills, pled guilty to Manslaughter before the Honorable David M. Fritch, J.S.C., in connection with the death of a male victim in Toms River on or about February 28, 2019. At the time of his sentencing on May 2, 2025, the State will be seeking a term of seven years New Jersey State Prison.
On February 28, 2019, Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department were summoned to the Pelican Inn for a report of an unresponsive male. Upon arrival, Officers found a 29-year-old male apparently suffering from a drug overdose. Officers immediately attempted life-saving measures. EMS personnel arrived and were able to re-establish a pulse. The victim was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he ultimately expired on March 2, 2019.
Further investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau determined that Anderson had supplied heroin and cocaine to a third party on February 27, 2019, which was ultimately supplied to the victim. Toxicology analysis later received by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the presence of cocaine and fentanyl in the victim’s system. It was determined through laboratory analysis that the controlled dangerous substances supplied to the victim and distributed by Anderson was, in fact, cocaine and fentanyl – matching the cocaine and fentanyl found in the victim’s system. Based upon the toxicology analysis, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office opined that the cocaine and fentanyl found in the victim’s system was the cause of his death. As a consequence, Anderson was charged with Strict Liability Drug Induced Death on August 20, 2021.
On August 24, 2021, Anderson was taken into custody without incident by Detectives from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Pemberton Township Police Department. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, and later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meghan O’Neill and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Heisler who are handling the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, and Pemberton Township Police Department, for their combined and collective efforts in connection with this investigation resulting in Anderson’s guilty plea, and soon his state prison sentence.