Woman Pleads Guilty To Fatally Stabbing Boyfriend: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A woman who was charged with fatally stabbing her boyfriend in June has plead guilty, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Thursday.

Charlene Blackshear, 51, was charged with first degree manslaughter on June 10, 2021, officials said. The homeless woman faces 18 years in prison and five years post release supervision.

Officials said that Blackshear admitted to investigators in a videotaped interview that she had stabbed Rice. However, she further indicated that she was merely defending herself.

According to court filings, Blackshear stabbed her on and off again boyfriend, Antonio Rice, 56, in the upper torso with a kitchen style knife, causing his death in Brentwood.

“This is a domestic incident that needlessly escalated into extreme violence,” said Tierney. “The defendant in this case took full responsibility and now faces extensive prison time as a result of her actions.”

Officers recovered the murder weapon from the kitchen sink of the apartment where the event occurred, however, it was washed by the defendant after she committed the homicide, officials said.

There were eyewitnesses in the apartment when the stabbing took place, officials said. Blackshear was apprehended shortly after the homicide when she called an individual asking for a ride.

Blackshear is to be sentenced on June 1.

Christopher Gioe, who represents Blackshear, has not yet responded for comment.