Keyport Murder Was Over Marijuana, It's Revealed In Court

KEYPORT, NJ — The fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man inside his Keyport apartment on Aug. 9 originated over an alleged deal to purchase marijuana, it has been revealed from court today.

As Patch reported the day it happened, Evan Smutz, 20, was shot to death inside the Keyport apartment he shared with his girlfriend on Aug. 9. The apartment is at 2 Center Street at the Holmdel Pointe apartment complex, pictured above.

The alleged shooter, John Curtin, 19, of Woodland Avenue in Keansburg, said he went to the Keyport apartment to buy marijuana, the Asbury Park Press reported from inside the courtroom today. Curtin works at the Outback Steakhouse on Hwy. 35 in Middletown.

But he brought a handgun with him that day, prosecutors say.

Inside the apartment, an argument broke out between Curtin and Smutz and Curtin allegedly pulled his handgun from his waistband and shot Smutz. Prosecutors say three or four shots were fired, and one hit Smutz.

Someone called 911 to report hearing shots fired from Center Street at 12:48 p.m. that day and police arrived to find Smutz with a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at 1:21 p.m.

Curtin ran out of the house with his shirt off, covering his face, the APP reported. He was driven there by a female friend, who had been waiting for him in the car parked outside.

Curtin fled the area and was found within 24 hours in New York City. The same night of the shooting, Curtin called a co-worker at the Middletown Outback Steakhouse, where he worked. A police officer was already there talking to the co-worker and he got on the phone with Curtin and told him to turn himself in, the APP reported.

A relative had also told him to turn himself in, and Curtin surrendered to the New York City Police Department and was subsequently transported back to Monmouth County. He was in court Thursday for his pre-trial detention hearing, where prosecutors argue he should remain in jail and not be released on bond.