Article: Domestic violence: Eight killed in five months

Sunday, March 7, 2010

By PAUL MICKLE
Staff writer

Trenton hasn’t had a domestic-violence murder since July 30 of last year. The seven months and counting of relative household peace follows a spate of violence that saw six women and two men killed at home by mates within 138 days in 2009. Here are the victims, in reverse order:

* On July 30, mother of three Cassandra Mitchell became the latest woman allegedly murdered by a mate, Kyle Givens, who is accused of shooting her in the head as her three children watched.

* On June 28, mother of two Ashlee McKinney, 23, was found dead in her West Ward apartment, a victim of strangulation. Her boyfriend, Lamont Richardson, is charged with her murder.

* On June 20, according to police, 49-year-old Colleen Kelsey was stabbed to death by her husband of two years, well-off military retiree Clarence Kelsey, 66, in their home on South Clinton Avenue. He allegedly dumped her body in a Hamilton cemetery, where it was found on June 28.

* On May 3, Jaime Swain, 32, allegedly repeatedly stabbed her boyfriend, 30-year-old Perry Carter, who succumbed to his wounds soon after.

* On April 28, Yerika Hernandez, 27, allegedly was stabbed to death by boyfriend Jose Delgardo-Febres, 35, as her 13-year-old son was calling 911 — a case that prompted Bradley to order changes in police procedures for dealing with domestic violence cases.

* On April 8, Denise Leonard, 46, allegedly was stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend, 51-year-old Matthew Ramos, who also allegedly stabbed her new boyfriend.

* On April 5: James Clark, 51, was stabbed to death inside his Mercer Street home in upscale Mill Hill. Police charged his 19-year-old girlfriend, Taheira Shaquana Hickmond, in this domestic violence slaying.

* On March 14, the first domestic violence murder of 2009 occurred when Lisa Glennon, 38, was found stabbed to death under the basement stairs in her Villa Park home. Boyfriend Brian Carlos Oliver was charged with her murder.