A North Dakota woman is accused of attempting to kill her boyfriend while he was sleeping with a hatchet, with a witness saying it sounded like she was “splitting wood” as the girlfriend hacked “through” her lover’s skull, police say.
Lena Deoliveira, 23, has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault in Cass County for the attack on her romantic partner Jonathan Granados on September 5, according to local NBC affiliate KVLY. A man who was staying with the couple inside a detached north Fargo garage, all three of whom were homeless, allegedly told investigators that Granados awoke screaming during the incident.
“[The witness] looked and saw Lena swing down with the hatchet,” Deoliveira’s charging documents state, according to The Forum of Fargo-Moorehead. “[The witness] couldn’t see the point of the strike due to obstructions but heard it sound like splitting wood, initially thinking she hit the headrest or headboard,” according to the lawsuit.
According to Fargo Police, the man who was in the garage, located near the 700 block of College Street North, told investigators that at least two strikes were delivered to Granados’ head because when he approached it “looked like one or two of Johnny’s fingers were missing or ‘kind of hanging,'” according to the charging documents.
“He saw blood and a mark through Johnny’s skull,” police say.
Deoliveira fled the garage following the attack and was later discovered “during the course of the investigation” after police arrived on the scene. Granados received treatment at a local medical facility for his injuries, which included severe lacerations to his hands and head, which was said to have a “large slice in it,” according to the charging documents.
Later that Sunday, Deoliveira was arrested without incident in Moorhead. According to The Forum, she was being held on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on October 16 for her next hearing.
