Crime & Justice
New Jersey man pleads guilty in fatal shooting of Nymere Tinsley
Eric Manzanares pleads guilty to the Nymere Tinsley shooting in Toms River, facing significant prison time for his actions.
TOMS RIVER, NJ — Eric Manzanares, of Asbury Park, has pleaded guilty to the 2022 shooting that killed Nymere Tinsley and injured two others at a Toms River hookah lounge.
Nymere Tinsley Shooting Suspect Guilty Plea and Expected Sentence
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Manzanares, 26, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026 to:
- aggravated manslaughter
- two counts of aggravated assault
The State will seek:
- 23 years in New Jersey State Prison for the manslaughter charge
- 10 years for each assault charge
All terms will run concurrently under the No Early Release Act, requiring Manzanares to serve most of the sentence before parole eligibility.
The Shooting at Top Tier Hookah Lounge
Police responded to Top Tier Hookah Lounge on Hooper Avenue at about 1:20 a.m. on August 27, 2022, after reports of gunfire. Officers found three men, including Tinsley, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Investigators determined that Manzanares shot all three victims during the incident outside the lounge. Tinsley was the only victim to succumb from his injuries.
Investigation and Arrest
Authorities charged Manzanares the same day with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons offenses. Police entered his name into the National Crime Information Center database, and they issued a warrant.
Law enforcement located him months later in Prince William County, Virginia, and arrested him there on April 7, 2023.
He remained in custody at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center until his extradition to Ocean County on January 24, 2024. He has been held at the Ocean County Jail since.
Community and Legal Aftermath
Following the shooting, Top Tier Hookah Lounge had its certificate of occupancy revoked due to zoning and safety violations. The closure underscored ongoing concerns about late-night violence and compliance issues at similar establishments.
Manzanares is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2026.
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