COHASSET, MASS. (WHDH) - The use of force by officers attempting to subdue a 25-year-old man who died while in police custody after allegedly stabbing and slashing his 24-year-old Tinder date with a knife at a home in Cohasset last year was justified, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey announced.
A letter detailing an investigation into the death of Erich Stelzer, who passed away after being tased repeatedly, said the course of action taken by officers “was a justified and appropriate use of force under the present circumstances.”
Stelzer, who police say attacked the Maegan Tapley at his Church Street home in December 2018, allegedly claimed he was God and that his date was a demon.
The woman escaped and was taken to a local hospital to be treated for extensive stabbing and slashing injuries.
Police say Stelzer also tried to eat Tapley’s face, who was found “significantly disfigured and bloody.”
When officers arrived at the scene, Morrissey’s office says Tapley could be heard screaming, “he’s killing me, help me he’s killing me.”
Stezler allegedly had Tapley in a chokehold and was holding a V-shaped piece of broken glass to her neck. When officers drew their firearms, Tapley crawled away and slipped out of the room.
During the attack, Stezler also pulled clumps of hair from Tapley’s scalp, gouged her eye, and tried to push his fingers through her navel, stating she had to be killed before the New Year and that he was going to hang her outside, according to the investigators.
Morrissey’s office says officers tried to get Stelzer under control but they had to stun him several times because he was “screaming, thrashing, and attempting to assault the officers.”
Stelzer later died in the ambulance while being transported to the hospital.
The investigation found that the stun guns were operating within the manufacturer’s specifications.
Prior to the attack, Stelzer’s family tried to get him help for mental health issues.
Stelzer’s family says they called police and EMTs on Christmas Day. They say the EMTs’ assessment was that Stelzer didn’t need assistance because he was “lucid enough to know his own name and the date.”
The family says they hired a team to help bring Stelzer to a facility for treatment, but the attack occurred before that could happen.
Tapley has since undergone several surgeries and is continuing to recover from the attack.
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