A 36-year-old Massachusetts woman, Jacqueline Avelino Mendes, will spend at least a decade behind bars for a fatal stabbing in 2019. The victim, Jennifer Landry, 41, lost her life after a heated road rage altercation escalated into violence.
Mendes was convicted of manslaughter and assault with a dangerous weapon following a two-day jury trial. On Thursday, a Brockton District Court judge sentenced her to 10 to 12 years in prison.
The incident occurred on June 28, 2019, near the intersection of Belmont and Grafton Streets in Brockton. Multiple 911 calls alerted authorities to a stabbing. First responders found Landry bleeding profusely from a neck wound. She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, then airlifted to Boston Medical Center for specialized care, but sadly succumbed to her injuries the following day.
Mendes, initially fleeing the scene, later surrendered herself to the police, admitting to an altercation and possible involvement in the stabbing.
Police and prosecutors pieced together the events leading to the tragedy. It emerged that Landry and Mendes had been involved in a near-miss collision minutes earlier. Landry allegedly drove away, followed by Mendes who claimed the victim attempted to make her rear-end by braking repeatedly.
Both women reportedly had folding knives when they exited their vehicles. A brief video clip showed Landry pushing Mendes against her car just before the stabbing. Mendes claimed self-defense at trial, but the jury found her actions unjustified.
Landry's family expressed their pain and disappointment with the sentence, believing Mendes deserved life imprisonment. While the court system delivered its verdict, the emotional toll of this tragedy remains profound for those affected.
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