New Bedford man convicted of stabbing ex-girlfriend, molesting her daughter

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said Friday a New Bedford man was convicted earlier this week of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and molesting her daughter.

District Attorney Thomas Quinn said Elias Centeio was sentence Tuesday to serve 15 to 20 years in state prison.

He was charged with armed assault in a dwelling, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon-resulting in serious bodily injury and indecent assault and battery on a person under the age of 14.

In April 2018, police said responded to Amanda Avenue for a report of a stabbing.

When police arrived, Quinn said the victim was found on the ground surrounded by neighbors trying to help her and bleeding profusely.

The ex-girlfriend had stabbed wounds to her face, neck, and left arm, said the district attorney’s office.

Before police responded to the home, a neighbor told police they heard the woman screaming and found her outside with several stab wounds, police said.

Another neighbor, according to Quinn, told officer that they also heard the woman screaming. When they went outside, they saw Centeio, who’s 44 years old, “swinging both arms in a forward motion with a knife.”

“When she yelled at him to stop, he took off from the scene. Police also observed a large amount of blood in the victim’s apartment,” noted Quinn in a release Friday.

While in the ambulance, Quinn said the victim told police that the 44-year-old was the one who stabbed her.

She was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where she underwent surgery.

Quinn said the woman was stabbed about 11 times and almost lost her arm.

Centeio and the ex-girlfriend had dated for almost eight years and have a child together.

“The victim broke up with the defendant in January of 2018 after her daughter (no relation to defendant) told her that the defendant had come into her room when she was sleeping and had touched her [inappropriately],” said Quinn.

On the night of the stabbing, Quinn said Centeio stole a ladder from a neighbor’s truck and climbed through a second-floor window.

“He then went downstairs and attacked the victim by stabbing her and chasing her out the door, while continuing to stab her,” said the district attorney.

In court Tuesday, the district attorney’s office asked for a 25 to 30 year state prison sentence. However, Centeio’s attorney requested a more lenient 12 to 15 year state prison term.

The judge ultimately sentenced the suspect to 15 to 20 years in prison.