Trenton Man Admits to Manslaughter in 2023 Killing of Berkeley Township Resident
On March 6, 2024, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer made a significant announcement regarding the case of Ryan Thompson, a 35-year-old resident of Trenton. Thompson recently pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in front of the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., in relation to the tragic death of a 55-year-old male in Berkeley Township on September 29, 2023. As the sentencing date approaches on May 3, 2024, the State intends to pursue a seven-year term at New Jersey State Prison for Thompson, under the guidelines of the No Early Release Act.
The events leading to Thompson’s guilty plea unfolded on September 29, 2023, when officers from the Berkeley Township Police Department responded to a residence on Torrey Pines Drive following reports of an unresponsive male. Upon arrival, the officers discovered the victim’s lifeless body, suspected to have succumbed to a drug overdose.
A thorough investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, and Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau uncovered the involvement of Thompson, along with his co-defendants Michael Wormann, 38, of Toms River, and Tina Martinez, 61, of Trenton, in the distribution of fentanyl to the victim on September 28, 2023.
Subsequent legal actions were taken against Wormann and Martinez, with Wormann facing charges of Distribution of Fentanyl, Possession of Less than One-Half Ounce of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of Fentanyl on September 30, 2023. Martinez was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on October 17, 2023. Thompson himself was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on October 20, 2023, and has been in custody at the Ocean County Jail since then.
The conclusive toxicology analysis carried out by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the presence of fentanyl in the victim’s system, leading to the determination by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office that fentanyl was the cause of the victim’s demise. The charges against Wormann and Martinez, who were released from jail due to New Jersey Bail Reform, are still pending, with a reminder that they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Prosecutor Billhimer praised the collaborative efforts of various law enforcement agencies and departments, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Berkeley Township Police Department, and others, for their dedication to the investigation that ultimately resulted in Thompson’s admission of guilt.
