A Salt Lake City woman initially charged with attempted murder after stabbing a neighbor last month, is now charged with murder after the victim died from his injuries.
Dyann Mariel Hernandez, 23, was initially charged in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony attempted murder for the Nov. 15 attack on 67-year-old Linton Livingston.
Livingston was taken to the hospital with a dozen stab wounds to his head and neck, and a damaged spinal cord. Charging documents added that he could no longer breathe without medical assistance.
He died at the hospital on Dec. 2.
On Friday, Hernandez was charged with first-degree felony murder, which is punishable by 15 years to life in prison. She also was charged with second-degree felony obstructing justice. No court dates were immediately set.
Livingston was stabbed in the front yard of his home at 820 W. Arapahoe Ave. (650 South). Hernandez’s address is 824 W. Arapahoe Ave., according to charges.
Another neighbor told police she was on her front porch at about 12:20 a.m. when she heard yelling and then saw Hernandez strike Livingston “with a looping punching motion” and saw Livingston fall to the ground, charges state.
When that neighbor and another neighbor went to check on Livingston, he told them, “Dyann tried to kill me,” and lost consciousness, charges state.
Hernandez, who drove away from the scene, was arrested on Nov. 18 during a traffic stop.
Police have said they were not sure what prompted Hernandez’s alleged attack that night, but that witnesses reported the two had been feuding for some time.
Hernandez is being held at the Salt Lake County jail in liue of $1 million bail, cash-only.
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