Suspect stabbed his girlfriend 30 times faces 33 years to life
A 23-year-old man was charged Tuesday with brutally stabbing his 18-year-old girlfriend in Temple City, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Matthew Fay Echauri (dob 7/19/93) of Arcadia has been charged with five felony counts in case GA100703: one count each of premeditated, deliberate and willful attempted murder, aggravated torture, aggravated mayhem and two counts of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime with force and violence.
The felony complaint includes a special allegation that the defendant personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a knife, during the commission of the crime. Additionally, the charging document alleges Echauri personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim under circumstances involving domestic violence. The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Department 5 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Alhambra Branch. Prosecutors are asking that bail be set at $3.25 million.
Deputy District Attorney Presciliano Duran of the Victim Impact Program, who is assigned to the case, said on the afternoon of March 2, Echauri reportedly got into an argument with his 18-year-old girlfriend in front of her Temple City home. As the victim began walking away from the defendant, Echauri allegedly pulled out a knife and began stabbing his girlfriend in the back while on a neighbor’s lawn, according to the prosecutor. During the attack, the defendant allegedly stabbed the victim in the head, face and body. After the brutal assault, Echauri reportedly fled the scene, the prosecutor added. Later that evening, a concerned citizen called police to notify them that the defendant may have been involved in the stabbing earlier in the day, the prosecutor said. Authorities subsequently located Echauri in Arcadia and arrested him in connection with the attack, the prosecutor said. Two days later and while in local custody, Echauri allegedly called the victim and threatened her if she cooperated with law enforcement, the prosecutor added. If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 33 years to life in state prison. The case is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
