New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“A 42-year-old New Bedford man was sentenced to serve 15 to 20 years in state prison after being convicted earlier this week of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and molesting her daughter, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Elias Centeio pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court on Tuesday to indictments charging him with Armed Assault in a Dwelling, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon-Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Indecent Assault and Battery on a Person Under the Age of 14.
On April 2, 2018, the New Bedford Police Department responded to numerous 911 calls regarding a stabbing at 120 Amanda Avenue. Upon arrival, New Bedford Police and EMS observed the victim on the ground surrounded by neighbors trying to help her, and bleeding profusely from multiple areas. Police observed stab wounds to the victim’s face, neck area, and left arm. Prior to the 911 calls, one neighbor heard the victim screaming and found her outside of 120 Amanda Ave. with multiple stab wounds.
Another neighbor reported to officers that she heard the victim screaming, and when she went outside to investigate she saw the defendant “swinging both arms in a forward motion with a knife”.
When she yelled at him to stop, he took off from the scene. Police also observed a large amount of blood in the victim’s apartment. While in the ambulance, the victim told both the New Bedford Police and EMS that defendant was the one who stabbed her. She was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where she underwent surgery to repair some of her injuries. She was stabbed a total of 11 times and almost lost her arm. She remained there for 10 days and then went to a rehabilitation facility for long-term rehabilitation from her injuries.
The Defendant and the victim had dated for about eight years and have a young child together. The victim broke up with the defendant in January of 2018 after her daughter (no relation to defendant) told her that the defendant had come into her room when she was sleeping and had touched her vagina under her underwear.
On the night of the stabbing, the defendant stole a ladder off a neighbor’s truck and climbed through a second-floor window. He then went downstairs and attacked the victim by stabbing her and chasing her out the door, while continuing to stab her. This can all be seen on video footage obtained by NB Housing Authority.
During a sentencing hearing held before Judge Thomas McGuire, Assistant District Attorney Courtney Cahill argued that due to the brutality of the attack in addition to the molestation of a child, the defendant should serve a 25 to 30 year state prison sentence. However, the defendant, through his attorney, requested a more lenient 12 to 15 year state prison term. Judge McGuire eventually sentenced the defendant to serve 15 to 20 years in state prison.
“The defendant brutally stabbed the victim, which caused serious injury and could’ve resulted in her being killed. On top of it, he sexually assaulted the victim’s daughter in another incident,” District Attorney Quinn said. “This defendant clearly is a danger to the victim and to the community, and needed to be kept off the street for a long time. This sentence does just that.”-Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
