Police search for man charged with manslaughter at party

BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer

Police have charged a Monmouth County man with aggravated manslaughter in connection with the Jan. 30 death of a Howell resident at a party in Toms River. Matthews Hoskins, 22, was still at large and being sought by police as the Tri-Town News went to press this week.

Toms River Police Chief Michael G. Mastronardy said police are concentrating their search for Hoskins in the areas of Asbury Park and Red Bank.

Hoskins is believed to be the suspect who punched Milton Love Jr., 33, of Howell, once in the head outside a Romana Drive home where a graduation party for Love’s cousin’s girlfriend was being held, police said.

“Apparently there was an argument over someone removing a bottle of alcohol from the home,” Mastronardy said. “As a result of that, there was one punch thrown, the subject hit his head, and that was it.”

The Ocean County Medical Examiner’s office last week declared Love’s death to be a homicide. The cause of death has not been made public yet, Mastronardy said.

In connection with the case, Toms River police also charged Anna Knutstad, 21, of Spring Lake, with hindering a criminal investigation. Knutstad was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in lieu of $100,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

Mastronardy said he could not release specific details about Knutstad’s involvement in the case. He offered the comment that “she declined to cooperate with the investigation with respect to suspect Hoskins.”

The party that ended in Love’s death began about 9 p.m. Jan. 29. Mastronardy said problems began when two women showed up at the party with four males at about 11 p.m.

The altercation happened about 1 a.m. Jan. 30. The women and the male subjects left the scene after the incident, he said.

Several people at the scene tried performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Love, to no avail. He never regained consciousness.

Love was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was pronounced dead, Mastronardy said.

Love, a cab driver in Red Bank, leaves his wife, Tracy, two daughters, ages 7 and 3, his stepson, Kevin, his parents, Gwen and Milton Sr., two brothers and a sister, and many other family members and friends. His funeral was held on Feb. 5 at the Macedonia Baptist Church in Lakewood.

The investigation is continuing, Mastronardy said.