Man held in Atlantic City stabbing after leaving detention hearing

A homeless man man accused of stabbing an Atlantic City store worker was arrested in Vineland.

Francisco Bonilla, 34, allegedly stabbed the 39-year-old victim, who was named only by the initials E.W., multiple times, damaging the victim’s kidney and liver and leaving him in critical condition.

E.W. was helping his brother, who manages the store in the 100 block of North Rhode Island Avenue, just after 8 a.m. Feb. 3, when the attack occurred

The victim’s brother, M.W., told police he knew the suspect as “Alex,” and that he had touched a cup before the stabbing. A latent fingerprint taken from the cup led to Bonilla, who M.W. positively identified in a photo array, Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Lado told the judge.

A warrant was then issued for Bonilla, which Atlantic City police put out to the public Feb. 16, charging him with attempted murder. He was arrested in Vineland 17 days later.

Video also captured the attack.

That video showed only the suspect’s eyes, countered public defender Maya Rex, who said the evidence she was provided showed the attacker was fully covered.

Lado agreed with that assessment.

Rex also questioned how a man known as “Alex” would be identified as her client whose first name is Francisco, or how a fingerprint on a cup would lead to the stabbing.

“It’s a stretch to get there,” she said, adding that the state may have some issues with its proofs.

While Judge Jeffrey Waldman was going over the facts of the case, Bonilla appeared to become agitated in the booth at the jail, where he was attending the virtual hearing. His microphone was, but at one point Bonilla he is seen walking up to the camera and appearing to scream.

Waldman advises him to sit down, but Bonilla gets up again. He then left the booth as Lado was talking.

A corrections officer then comes in.

“He does not want to finish his hearing,” he tells the court. “He walked out.”

The hearing then continues without him. Waldman ruled that Bonilla be detained pending the outcome of the case.

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