Men Face Manslaughter Charges In Weekend Death; Fight Occurred Outside Downtown Sub Shop

OCEAN CITY — Two local men were arrested on Tuesday and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a Pennsylvania man found unresponsive and unconscious in the parking lot of a downtown hotel early Sunday morning.

Around 3 a.m. on Sunday, OCPD officers responded to the parking lot of a hotel on 2nd Street to assist Ocean City EMS with an assault that had already occurred. Upon arrival, OCPD officers found the victim, later identified as Justin D. Cancelliere, 37, of North Whitehall, Pa., unconscious and unresponsive. First responders from the OCPD and the Ocean City Fire Department initiated emergency lifesaving procedures on the victim and transported him to AGH where he was later pronounced deceased. An autopsy was performed on Monday and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore has ruled the cause of Cancelliere’s death a homicide.

On Tuesday, Ocean City Police arrested Caleb Edwin-Earl Ochse, 27, and Christoher Blake Kendall, 22, both of Ocean City. Ochse was arrested at a West Ocean City seafood restaurant on Route 50 sometime on Tuesday. Kendall was taken into custody at the Public Safety Building in Ocean City, presumably after turning himself in.
Both have been charged with manslaughter, second degree assault, affray and reckless endangerment.
After a thorough investigation, OCPD detectives determined the assault occurred during an altercation outside Fat Daddy’s Sub Shop in the area of Talbot Street and Baltimore Ave.

According to several knowledgeable sources, Cancelliere and at least two friends started a verbal argument with Kendall initially and then Ochse. Sources close to the probe said the sub shop’s video shows Cancelliere harassing Kendall and that Ochse was reportedly standing up for him. The verbal jawing spilled outside where a physical altercation took place.

At some point during the fight, Cancelliere was put into a cab by his friends and emergency help was sought in the parking lot of the Plim Plaza Hotel. He later was pronounced dead at Atlantic General Hospital.

The defendants will have a bond hearing today at 1 p.m. at Worcester County District Court in Snow Hill