A man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend at a Massachusetts restaurant.
Following an eight-day trial, the jury delivered a verdict that carries a mandatory life sentence without parole.
Carlos Asencio, 32, was also convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for injuring one of the people who bravely intervened and subdued him until police arrived. Sentencing is scheduled for June 29.
The family of the victim Amanda Dabrowski, 31, expressed relief at the jury’s decision, acknowledging that while it cannot bring Amanda back, it provides some measure of justice.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. expressed sympathy for the loss suffered by the victim’s family and hoped that the verdict brings them some solace.
During the trial, Asencio’s defense attorney argued an insanity plea, contending that his client suffered from psychosis at the time of the crime. However, the prosecution and a state psychiatrist disputed this claim. Asencio’s lawyer emphasized his mental illness, and his inability to conform to legal requirements as factors contributing to the tragedy.
The incident occurred on July 3, 2019, at O’Connor’s Restaurant, where Asencio launched a vicious attack on Dabrowski, repeatedly stabbing her 58 times. The assailant was subdued by patrons and staff until the police arrived and made the arrest. Dabrowski succumbed to her injuries at a hospital.
One of the courageous people who intervened, Allen Noble Corson, Jr., was honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for his bravery. Corson, along with two other patrons, prevented further harm and ensured the assailant’s capture.
The couple had previously worked together at Bristol Myers Squibb and dated for a brief period. Dabrowski ended the relationship, which reportedly led Asencio to hold her responsible for his subsequent job loss and homelessness. Prior to the murder, Asencio had broken into her home and attacked her with a stun gun. Dabrowski fought back, and Asencio fled the country. She sought a restraining order against him. Two weeks before the fatal stabbing, a couple encountered Asencio in Worcester and offered him temporary shelter at an abandoned warehouse.
The verdict brings a measure of closure to a case that highlights the consequences of domestic violence.
