30 Years For Man Who Killed Eatontown Father, Husband

EATONTOWN, NJ — Gaetano Scannavino, 26, of Brooklyn, was sentenced Wednesday for the murder of Anthony Hill, a cab driver from Eatontown.

Scannavino pleaded guilty Dec. 16 to first-degree aggravated manslaughter. Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Henry Butehorn sentenced him to 30 years in state prison, and he must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for early release.

Scannavino shot Hill, 42, early on a Saturday morning, Sept. 14, 2024, in the parking lot of Holly Hill motel on Rt. 36 in Hazlet.

At the time he was killed, Hill, a married father of one, worked as a cab driver for Red Bank Yellow Car. He left behind a wife and a daughter, according to this GoFundMe set up to raise money for them.

Hill's body was found by Hazlet Police at 7:18 that morning on the ground; he had been shot multiple times and also had a cut on his head.

The prosecutor never revealed why Scannavino shot Hill that night. But Scannavino and a woman with him had argued earlier that evening; they then called a cab to take them to Holly Hill motel. Police say Scannavino shot Hill while he was driving the cab. The taxi rolled forward, coming to a stop when it hit a Dumpster in the parking lot. The woman who was inside the cab got out and ran off on foot; Scannavino pulled Hill out of the driver's seat and threw his body to the ground. He then got into the driver's seat of the cab and backed up, driving over Hill.

Scannavino drove the cab to Brooklyn, where he tried, unsuccessfully, to light it on fire. Bullet holes were found later in the cab.

The woman Scannavino was with that night was a key witness to the fatal shooting.

"On September 14th, Ant Hill tragically lost his life in a senseless homicide at the Holly Hill Hotel in Hazlet, leaving behind his loving wife, Emily, and their daughter," mourners wrote on the GoFundMe. "Ant was a devoted husband, father, and friend, known for his kind heart and dedication to his family ... This GoFundMe is set up to support Emily during this unimaginable time. Losing a husband and father is heartbreaking enough, but the financial burden that comes with it can be overwhelming ... #JusticeForAnthony."

Slain Eatontown Cab Driver Leaves Behind Wife And Daughter (2024)