NEW BEDFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - A 19-year-old UMass Dartmouth student appeared in New Bedford District Court Monday to face a murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing of another UMass Dartmouth student in Providence, Rhode Island early Saturday morning.
Chukuwnonso Uzoma-eze, of Dorchester, is accused of stabbing and killing Marvins Atoine outside Mezzo Lounge on Charles Street. His attorneys pleaded not guilty to the charge on his behalf.
Providence police said they responded to the lounge at approximately 12:30 a.m. after receiving reports of an altercation in a parking lot nearby. When officers arrived, they learned two people had sustained stab wounds.
The first victim, later identified as Antoine, sustained stab wounds to the chest, police said. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
The second victim, Kensley Macean, 19, sustained injuries to his head and neck. He was also taken to Rhode Island Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Both victims were members of the UMass Dartmouth football team.
Uzoma-eze was located after the attack and arrested by Providence police.
Uzoma-eze’s defense attorneys said he is good student who just began studying mechanical engineering.
“He was a straight-A student in highschool, a student athlete, fresh into college in his freshman year,” said Dana Sargent, Uzoma-eze’s Defense Attorney.
“There two families that are invovled, one has a son that’s dead, another is in the hospital, and this kid is in jail. So it’s obviously a very sad situation,” said Jay Odunukwe, Uzoma-eze’s Defense Attorney. “The evidence will show that he [Uzoma-eze] was basically minding his business, but I will leave it at that at this point. Won’t say anything else further.”
Uzoma-eze is being held without bail. He agreed to be sent to Rhode Island to face the murder charge.
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