A man accused of attempting to kill his ex-wife in Dover New Jersey has now claimed that he was acting in self-defense and that she attacked him first.
The violent incident occurred on January 25, 2015 at a home located on West Blackwell Street in Dover, NJ. It is believed by authorities that the physical altercation started when the suspect and his ex-wife argued over money.
According to Morris County prosecutors, the suspect tried to murder his ex-wife by using a steak knife to stab her multiple times at their shared residence in Dover, NJ. The suspect allegedly stabbed the victim three times in her legs, twice in the chest, twice in her back, and once in the arm.
At one point, the couple’s 10-year-old daughter attempted to intervene and stop the alleged attack on her mother.
Afterwards, the suspect allegedly ran from the Dover NJ home and went to Penn Station to catch a train out of New Jersey. He was later tracked down by law enforcement in Queens, New York.
Sometime later, Morris County detectives questioned the suspect. Although the suspect waived his right to remain silent prior to answering the detectives’ questions, there is now a dispute in court about whether an audio tape of the suspect’s statement should be allowed as evidence in the case. The suspect’s criminal defense attorneys have argued that a transcript of the audio tape may not be accurate because the suspect was speaking Spanish while being questioned. The Morris County Superior Court judge is expected to issue a ruling on the evidentiary issue in early August.
The 30-year-old suspect is an undocumented immigrant who originally hails from Ecuador. He faces numerous criminal charges, including attempted murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Additionally, the suspect has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child because his young daughter was present during the violent attack.
At the time of the violent incident, the suspect and the victim were living together even though they were no longer married. As a result, it is not believed that the suspect was subject to a restraining order.
The suspect has now claimed that he stabbed the victim during struggle for the steak knife. The self-defense claim was made during pre-trial testimony in Morris County Superior Court, which is located in Morristown NJ.
Due to the suspect’s illegal immigrant status, it is likely that he will be subject to deportation proceedings after the criminal matter is resolved and he has served any prison sentence stemming from the criminal charges.
Attempted Murder Charges in Dover NJ
For more information about this case, read the DailyRecord.com article, “Dover Man Charged with Attempted Murder Claims Ex-Wife Assaulted Him First.”
