West Babylon killing-attempted suicide investigated, cops say
A West Babylon woman was found stabbed to death inside her home Saturday afternoon in what police described as an attempted murder-suicide.
The victim, identified as Sonja Williams, 32, was killed inside a split-level home at 316 Sheffield Avenue, police said.
Inside the residence, officers responding to a 911 call found the man suspected of the killing — believed to be Williams’ husband or partner — suffering from self-inflicted stab wounds, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said at the scene.
Sini said Williams appeared to have been killed about 2:30 p.m.
The wounded man was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive to face charges, Sini said. No arraignment date had been scheduled.
Police didn’t say who placed the 911 call.
Williams had two children, ages 12 and 5 — one from a previous marriage and the other with the suspect, police said.
Neither child was in the home during the attack, and both were safe Saturday evening in the custody of relatives, Sini said.
Authorities have not determined if the couple had a history of domestic violence, but Sini said that would be part of the investigation.
Family members wailed as they were led away from the home by detectives. Polce cordoned off the block in the quiet suburban neighborhood with yellow crime tape.
Neighbors said the couple had been renting the home for about a year and weren’t aware of any previous incidents.
Children who were playing soccer nearby Saturday afternoon told their parents later they thought they heard screaming, but assumed it was other children playing, residents said.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
'Success is zero deaths on the roadway' Newsday reporters spent this year examining the risks on Long Island's roads, where traffic crashes over a decade killed more than 2,100 people and seriously injured more than 16,000. This documentary is a result of that newsroom-wide effort.
'Success is zero deaths on the roadway' Newsday reporters spent this year examining the risks on Long Island's roads, where traffic crashes over a decade killed more than 2,100 people and seriously injured more than 16,000. This documentary is a result of that newsroom-wide effort.
