A Massachusetts man is accused of stabbing his wife to death in an incident that also injured him.
Lawrence police said they responded to a Doyle Street home shortly after 5 p.m. Monday after receiving a call from a man that his friend called him and asked for him to call for an ambulance.
When they arrived, officers found Joel Monegro, 32, and Yesinia Torres, 28, who are married, suffering from stab wounds.
Investigators called the stabbing "an act of domestic violence."
Both were treated at the scene before being initially taken to Lawrence General Hospital. Torres was then taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she died from her injuries.
"She was an awesome mother," said Torres' aunt, Janet Colon. "Very, very hardworking mother."
From Lawrence General Hospital, Monegro was taken to Tufts Medical Center, where he underwent surgery late Monday night.
Monegro was later placed under arrest for murder. It's unclear when he will be arraigned or if he has an attorney.
Neighbor Ana Brea told NBC10 Boston she has known the couple since high school at Greater Lawrence Technical School where they were all classmates.
"They used to come to the house, just hang out with us. Parties cookouts and stuff," Brea recalled.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Brea said it appeared the couple was separating. Monegro had approached her father the morning of the attack.
"He came up to him and said, 'just so you know, I'm going to be leaving, if you could just keep your eyes on the kids,'" Brea said.
"I just can't believe and don't know why he took her away from us," Colon said. "He didn't have no right to take her away from us."
Other neighbors said police had been at the home before and they were concerned for the couple's three children, ages 10, 7 and 3. Their grandmother will be taking care of them.
"Nobody ever knew... Very, very shocking for us," said one neighbor who did not want to be named.
The stabbings remain under investigation by Lawrence Police and the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
