NJ Man Stabbed Woman To Death, Fled To NC, Police Say

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A man was arrested in North Carolina on Thursday after stabbing a woman to death in New Jersey a year prior, authorities said.

Ernest Lawrence, 35, of Passaic, faces a slew of charges, including first-degree murder, following the stabbing.

On March 16, 2025, around 9:40 a.m., police were called to a home in the area of 4th and Bergen streets in Passaic on reports of a stabbing.

Authorities discovered Daniela Ghafour, 31, with multiple stab wounds. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

An investigation led police to believe Lawrence was responsible for her murder, prosecutors said.

Lawrence was recently arrested in North Carolina and was extradited back to New Jersey on Thursday.

In addition to the murder charge, Lawrence was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

If convicted of the murder charge alone, Lawrence could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

The investigation into Ghafour’s slaying is still underway, and anyone with additional information is asked to call the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story indicated that the stabbing took place on March 16, 2026. It took place on March 16, 2025.