Man arrested after 46-year-old woman found stabbed to death in Somerville
Police say Ignacio Espinal was taken into custody following the fatal stabbing of his wife Alyse Espinal in a Somerville home.
Investigators in New Jersey are probing the homicide of Alyse Espinal, 46, who was found with several stab wounds to her chest, neck and thigh inside her Somerville residence and was declared dead at the location. A 911 call reporting concerns for her welfare prompted police to respond just before 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Her husband, Ignacio Espinal, 55, was apprehended in West New York on Tuesday and is charged with first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering.
The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office emphasized that the case remains in a preliminary stage, with ongoing witness interviews, review of physical and electronic records, and forensic analysis. The incident occurred roughly 15 miles from the June killing of Brooke Hanlon in Chester, a separate and unsolved case. Authorities have not linked the two homicides.
Why it matters
The arrest highlights a violent crime in a suburban community and raises concerns about domestic safety.
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