Woman allegedly stabs, kills boyfriend

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Niagara County woman is accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend with a kitchen knife. The police chief told News 4 that murders are rare in North Tonawanda, but that domestic violence is on the rise.

Ralph Stone, 24, was stabbed and killed Wednesday night in North Tonawanda. North Tonawanda Police say that he was stabbed by his girlfriend, 23-year-old Jennifer Marchant, at 10:30 p.m. at a home on Oliver Street.

Police say they arrived to the Oliver Street apartment building, and found that the man had a very serious stab wound to the neck. Police say he was losing a lot of blood, and though they tried to stop the bleeding, Stone died at the scene.

Chief Randy Szukala said, "He had a very serious stab wound to the upper body neck area and was losing a lot of blood."

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Authorities say that this was a domestic incident. Marchant allegedly used a 6-8" kitchen knife to stab Stone. Ralph Garney, a friend of the victim, said he was at the apartment just hours earlier.

"No problems at all," Garney said. "No fighting. No yelling. No screaming. They just seemed like a couple in love."

Marchant has been charged with second-degree murder. She pleaded not guilty in court Thursday morning. She is being held without bail.

"We're just becoming a more violent society. It's unfortunate, but that's the direction we're headed," Chief Szukala said.

Marchant's lawyer Kevin Mahoney released this statement Thursday, "We are early on in our investigation but it certainly appears that our client was defending herself in a domestic violence situation. Our sympathies to the friends and families of all involved."