Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Fresno, CA: Domestic dispute in Merced ends in tragedy

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A couple's domestic dispute ends in a deadly stabbing and now, police investigators are struggling to piece together what happened. The couple just moved to the Valley and is now broken apart before they could even settle in.

The stabbing happened just at about 1 a.m. At the Old Tioga Hotel near Main and N Street in Merced.

Jonathan Ross' life revolved around his daughters and his family, according to the family members he left behind. "John was an amazing man. You know, he always put on a smiley face. The first thing his kids asked for this morning was their dad," Betsy Ross said.

Ross' dedication brought him from North Carolina to the Old Tioga Hotel in Merced earlier this month. His father had just died, so he came to the apartments to be with his mother and brothers.

Ross had been here just a matter of days when he and his wife got into a fight. Police say it looks like Courtney Ross stabbed her husband to death. Officers arrested her, leaving the Rosses' two girls without any parent, for the time being.

"You never have any winners when you talk about domestic violence and in this case it's even more tragic. Like you said, they lose both parents," Lt. Andre Matthews said.

The 3 and 1 year old are still in the building where their father was killed, staying with their father's family.

Like their parents, the girls don't speak, although one of them can hear. Many of the family members now caring for them are also hearing impaired. They're communicating with investigators for the deaf, but right now they have nothing to say to Courtney Ross.

"We haven't talked to her. Everybody kind of has hurt feelings right now" Betsy Ross said.

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