Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to 10-12 Years for Fatal Road Rage Stabbing

A 36-year-old woman in Massachusetts has been given a sentence of 10 to 12 years in a state correctional facility for the fatal stabbing of a 41-year-old woman during a road rage incident. Jacqueline Avelino Mendes was found guilty of manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by a jury last month.

The Tragic Altercation

The incident occurred on June 28, 2019, when officers from the Brockton Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a stabbing at the intersection of Belmont Street and Grafton Street. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel discovered Jennifer Landry bleeding profusely from a stab wound to the right side of her neck. Mendes, the assailant, had fled the scene.

Landry was immediately treated at the scene and then transported to the Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton. Due to the severity of her condition, she was later transferred to Boston Medical Center, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries the following day.

Arrest and Investigation

Mendes, who had stabbed Landry with a knife before fleeing the scene, walked into the Brockton Police Department approximately 15 minutes after the incident and confessed to being involved in the altercation. With the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police and investigators from the Plymouth District Attorney’s office, it was determined that Landry and Mendes had engaged in a traffic confrontation that escalated into a physical altercation.

According to court documents, the confrontation began when the two women nearly collided with each other moments before the stabbing. Landry attempted to drive away, but Mendes followed in her vehicle. Mendes claimed that Landry intentionally hit the brakes in an attempt to cause a rear-end collision. When both women exited their cars, they were armed with folding knives. A 10-second video clip shown during the trial depicted Landry pushing Mendes against her car just before being stabbed.

The Trial and Sentencing

Mendes was found guilty of manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by the jury after two days of deliberation. The prosecution had sought a sentence of 13 to 17 years, but the judge ultimately sentenced Mendes to 10 to 12 years in a state correctional facility.

However, Landry’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, stating that they believed Mendes should have received a life sentence. Landry’s sister, Kristine Burke, told the local newspaper, “To say we received justice, it doesn’t fit. If it were up to our family, we would want her to spend the rest of her life in jail.”

Conclusion

The sentencing of Jacqueline Avelino Mendes to 10 to 12 years for the fatal road rage stabbing of Jennifer Landry brings a tragic chapter to a close. While the sentence may not satisfy the wishes of the victim’s family, it serves as a reminder of the consequences of violent altercations on the road.

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