Lakewood Man Found In Florida, Arrested For Fatal Stabbing

A murder suspect from Lakewood is captured in Florida.

Ocean County investigators charge 20-year-old Steven Rosado with the Saturday morning stabbing of 24-year-old Kevin Copes in Toms River. He's being transported back to New Jersey where bail has been set at $750,000.

Rosado, age 20, is charged with murder for the stabbing of Copes, 24, of Lakewood at the Briar Knolls apartment complex in Toms River early Saturday morning following a fight according to Ocean County Prosecutor Maureen Lynch Ford.

Copes was brought to Community Medical Center's emergency room where he later died.

Ford said in a press release there is enough evidence from a Toms River Police investigation to conclude that Rosato "was involved in a fight with the victim, and that we believe probable cause has been established to implicate Mr. Rosado in connection with the crime.  Murder charges have been authorized by my office."

The Prosecutor's Office is not ruling out a connection to a shooting in the Guilford Park section of Toms River, at or about the same time. "The victim in that shooting is expected to recover from his injuries, notwithstanding that the injuries were certainly life threatening," said Ford.