Bucks County man is charged with fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in Yardley
Lower Makefield Township police arrived to find the man chasing and stabbing his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend Friday afternoon, officials said.
A 23-year-old Bucks County man has been charged with criminal homicide, burglary, harassment, and other crimes in connection to the fatal stabbing of his former girlfriend.
Authorities say Trevor Christopher Weigel, of Churchville, stabbed Jaden Battista, 19, about 15 times Friday. The pair had been broken up for about two months after having been in a relationship for roughly the same length of time, according to Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn.
Schorn said the slaying is a reminder that domestic violence can occur anywhere.
”It’s just a wake-up call, to you know, remind the community that this is real, domestic violence is real,” she said.
Schorn said Lower Makefield Township Police responded to a report of a man trying to enter a home through a first-floor window on the 2500 block of Waterford Road in Yardley at 2:22 p.m. Friday.
Schorn described the quick sequence of events after police arrived at the home.
Pulling up to the scene, the officer saw Weigel standing by a red Ford Mustang. Then, through his passenger-side mirror, Schorn said, the officer saw Weigel chase a woman, later identified as Battista. Weigel tackled her, and stabbed her multiple times in her upper body, Schorn said.
As the officer approached, authorities said Weigel fled on foot to I-295. Schorn said Weigel climbed a fence in an effort to escape and stabbed himself on the right side of his neck as he ran.
The officer administered aid to Battista, who was bleeding profusely, and another officer went after Weigel, catching up to him on the interstate, and used a Taser on him.
Body camera footage captured Weigel saying during his apprehension on I-295 that he found out Battista was cheating on him and he “lost it,” according to an affidavit of probable cause filed Sunday.
Police found a knife consistent with the one used against Battista along the path Weigel took in his effort to escape.
Officers took Battista to St. Mary Medical Center, where she died of her injuries. Battista died of multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest, according to the autopsy by Ian Hood at Bucks County Forensic Center.
Weigel was also taken to St. Mary for surgery, and Schorn said he is expected to survive. He was arraigned Sunday and denied bail.
Police learned Battista was chatting with a friend over FaceTime Friday afternoon when Weigel arrived at her house, unannounced, and banged on the door. Battista’s friend heard her say her ex-boyfriend had entered through a first-floor window, the affidavit states. Soon after, the line went dead and the friend called the police.
Schorn and Lower Makefield Township Police Chief Ken Coluzzi did not say whether Battista had ever reported Weigel for domestic violence, but there was no protection from abuse order in place.
Still, Schorn said the slaying was “premeditated with a specific intent to kill.”
Weigel’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27. No attorney was listed on court documents.
Schorn commended the first responding officer and his efforts to save Battista. She said the officer served two tours in Iraq and previously worked in Philadelphia.
Staff writer Vinny Vella contributed to this article.