One Victim Sustained Life-Threatening Injuries; Second Victim’s Wounds Less Serious

BOSTON, June 10, 2014—A West End man was held on high bail yesterday at his arraignment on charges that he nearly killed a man by stabbing him in the stomach during an altercation at Wonderland MBTA station, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

MATTHEW DeCOSTA (D.O.B. 8/19/85) was arraigned yesterday at Whidden Memorial Hospital after complaining of chest pains. He was charged with armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Assistant District Attorney Michelle Slade recommended $200,000 cash bail and orders that he wear a GPS monitor, stay away from all victims and witnesses in the case, stay away from all MBTA stations, and check in with probation officers three times per week if he posts that amount. Chelsea District Court Judge Matthew Nestor imposed $100,000 cash bail and an order to stay away from the victims.

MBTA Transit Police, Revere Police, and – because of the severity of the primary victim’s injuries – the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit all responded to Wonderland station in the aftermath of the stabbing, which took place at about 9:00 on Friday night. That victim, a 49-year-old Everett man, sustained an eviscerating wound to his abdomen and was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital with life-threatening injuries that included punctures to his lung and liver. He is currently in stable condition. A 33-year-old Malden woman was also hospitalized for less serious lacerations to her right arm.

Witnesses located by Transit Police described the assailant as a tall, thin, white male wearing a maroon Harvard University sweatshirt, khaki shorts, a black ball cap, and a dark backpack. Witnesses last saw that man fleeing Wonderland station on foot, and investigators responded to Revere Beach station a short distance away. Sure enough, they found DeCosta sitting on an outbound train. He had removed his sweatshirt but a portion of it was sticking out of his backpack. He had reddish-brown stains that appeared to be blood on his shoes and when he removed his hands from his pockets there were similar stains visible on the fabric.

“You guys got me,” DeCosta allegedly said after being read his Miranda rights. “If you want to beat me up, take the handcuffs off me and fight me.”

Based on witness statements and a review of footage from MBTA public safety cameras, Transit Police believe the two victims entered the station first, followed by DeCosta. At some point shortly after passing the turnstiles, the male victim and the defendant became engaged in a verbal altercation. The female victim stepped between the two, at which point DeCosta allegedly produced a knife and stabbed at both victims, inflicting grievous injuries to the man and lacerations to the woman. DeCosta then dropped the knife and fled the station.

DeCosta was represented by attorney Daniel Fitzgerald. He will return to court on July 9.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.