Woman Found Dead, Daughter Stabbed In Belleville; Probe Continues

BELLEVILLE, NJ —Belleville police recently found an 84-year-old woman dead in an apartment on Van Rensselaer Street. Her daughter was also found at the scene with multiple stab wounds, authorities said.

The Belleville Police Department released the following statement on Saturday via social media, more than a week after the incident took place:

“On November 20, at approximately 5:06 p.m., Belleville police responded to the area of 22 Howard Place in Belleville on a report of an injured female. Officers located a 54-year-old female suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim reported she was stabbed by her assailant after she arrived at her Van Rensselaer Street residence. The victim informed police that her mother may still be inside the Van Rensselaer Street residence. Belleville police responded to the victim’s residence and located an 84-year-old female deceased inside the apartment. Belleville police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the incident.”

Police said information would have been disseminated via social media or through the town’s reverse 911 system if there was a risk to the community.

“Many times, releasing information before it is confirmed can be detrimental to the case,” authorities said, adding that Belleville police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office have been “working tirelessly to bring this case to a conclusion.”

Belleville police released a surveillance photo of a person in a hooded jacket in their social media post (see below), but additional information – including the person’s relationship to the case – wasn’t immediately available.

Police added:

“The details that have been put out to the public are meant to inform but also to seek any information the public can provide in assisting in the investigation. There are several troubling social media posts with inaccurate information being spread specifically about the deceased victim. These types of inaccurate posts only re-traumatized the family. Please refrain from further posting anything that may cause harm to this long time Belleville family.”

Belleville Mayor Michael Melham has given statements on the case via his own social media account. He wrote the following post on Nov. 24:

“There are rumors circulating around town and on social media about a violent incident that happened in Belleville this weekend. While there was an incident this weekend, as of today, nothing concrete has been determined. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the BPD continue to investigate. This is an ongoing investigation and at this point, there is no reason to believe rumors circulating on social media. Please understand, at this point, this is all I am permitted to say. I personally know a member of this family and ask for your prayers for her at this time. I also ask you to respect the family's privacy during this most difficult time.”

Melham released an update on Saturday:

“Expect a statement from the BPD shortly on the tragic events of last Saturday. I will share as soon as it’s released. The Essex County Prosecutors Office has just given us permission to release some of the details and a photo of a person of interest. The details we are about to release are currently the only facts. Some of what I’ve read online is simply not true. PLEASE STOP sharing the victim’s name. PLEASE STOP sharing the victim’s photo. STOP. You are NOT helping, especially while multiple law enforcement agencies seek this person of interest.”

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