Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced that a grand jury in Middlesex County indicted a 75-year-old Perth Amboy man today on charges of fatally stabbing another man on a city street, and attacking three others, one of whom was hospitalized after suffering multiple stab wounds.
Anibal Rodriguez was charged in a 10-count indictment with murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, and terroristic threats in the fatal stabbing on September 3, 2015 of Phillip Willis, 65, of Perth Amboy.
The investigation by Detective Craig Marchak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Detective Mohamed Mohamed of the Perth Amboy Police Department determined that Rodriguez attacked his four victims before he was subdued by Omar Smith, an on-duty Middlesex County Sheriff’s Officer who saw the defendant and subdued him with the help of a civilian passerby.
Police were alerted at 12:52 p.m. to a dispute that began in an apartment on Madison Avenue. Rodriguez became involved in an argument with a 36-year-old woman and stabbed her multiple times. She since has recovered.
Rodriguez also threatened a 54-year-old female and a 24-year-old male who ran to the apartment when he heard screams. They were not injured.
Rodriguez left the building and walked toward Smith Street, where he happened upon Mr. Willis, and recognized him as an acquaintance of the 36-year-old woman.
Rodriguez stabbed Mr. Willis, who was taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy Division, where he was pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Marchak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3254, or Detective Mohamed of the Perth Amboy Police Department at (732) 442-4400.