Husband ordered held without bail after wife found dead in Grafton home

A man found with a knife protruding from his neck at a Grafton home on Wednesday was arraigned Thursday after his wife was found dead in the same home. 

Michael Sugarman was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing. 

According to officials, a 5-year-old girl was found in her pajamas wandering along Route 140 at around 6 a.m. Wednesday by a police officer. Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said the girl told the officer, "Mommy is sleeping, Mommy is sick," as he drove her back to her house.

When the officer accompanied the girl back to her home on Worcester Street, Early said he found a man lying on the floor with a knife protruding from his neck. The man was allegedly holding the knife. 

Early said the officer went upstairs, where he found a woman dead on her bedroom floor. The woman was identified as 36-year-old Kelly Sugarman. Officials said it is not known if the girl witnessed anything.

Michael Sugarman was treated at the scene for the knife wound and was then transported to the hospital,

He is charged with domestic assault and battery, which is a misdemeanor. 

Sugarman appeared in court with stitches on his neck from what police called a self-inflicted wound. 

"He made statements on the way that he was off his medication when this happened and made several inquiries as to how his wife was. Information gathered yesterday, we had information that the couple was experiencing extreme financial difficulty and that had been the source of a number of arguments and fights between the two," Terry McLaughlin, prosecutor, said. 

Grafton police say they’ve never had any interaction with this family before.

Sugarman’s defense attorney said he expects the charges to be upgraded to murder. 
 
The girl was taken to the hospital to be evaluated and is now in the custody of the Department of Children and Families. 

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