Man Fatally Stabbed Inside Mall Restaurant

Photo Credit: 7News/whdh.com

By ADAM SWIFT (Patch Staff)

A 23-year-old Salem man is accused of stabbing and killing a co-worker at PF Chang’s Restaurant at the Northshore Mall in Peabody late Saturday afternoon.

Jaquan Huston will be arraigned on a first-degree murder charge in Peabody District Court on Monday morning, according to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

Peabody police were called to the restaurant at about 5:40 p.m. on Saturday for a report of an assault in progress.

Police found a 38-year-old man who had been stabbed. He was taken to North Shore Medical Center in Salem, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to Blodgett.

The victim in last night’s stabbing is Elivelton Dias, 38, of Salem.

According to eyewitnesses, Huston allegedly stabbed the man in the back with a kitchen knife, Blodgett said. Huston then fled towards Salem.

Salem police were made aware of the incident and the suspect and arrested Huston.

Peabody Police Chief said the incident took place in the kitchen and that many people at the restaurant were not aware of what happened at the time.

He also added that the public was not at risk, and that it was an unfortunate incident that took place between two people who worked together at PF Chang’s.

As of 10 p.m., crime scene tape was in front of the doors of PF Changs and detectives and law enforcement personnel were still on the scene investigating.