Union Co. Man Fatally Stabbed Girlfriend About 100 Times, Convicted At Retrial

PLAINFIELD, NJ — A Union County man was found guilty at a retrial for fatally stabbing his girlfriend about 100 times in 2011, authorities said.

Anthony James, 62 of Plainfield, was found guilty on Tuesday on one count of first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon following a 5-week trial before Union County Superior Court Judge John Deitch, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Friday.

The jury deliberated for a day and a half before returning its verdict. This was a retrial after the Appellate Division remanded the matter for a new trial after his first conviction in 2019.

At around 5 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2011, Plainfield Police went to James’ home on the 300 block of East Seventh Street in Plainfield in response to a 911 call made by James, according to Assistant Prosecutors Alaina Caliendo and Nicholas Hooker, who prosecuted the case.

Police found the body of 48-year-old Audrey Tanksley, according to Caliendo and Hooker.

At a previous trial, James claimed that Tanksley was the aggressor, however, Dr. Zhongxue Hua of the Division of the County Medical Examiner testified that the victim had been stabbed nearly 100 times, Monahan reported. Read More: Union County Man Fatally Stabbed Girlfriend About 100 Times: UCPO

Sentencing for this case has been scheduled for June 23 before Judge John Deitch, at which time
James can face a sentence of up to life in state prison.

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