COVENTRY MURDER SUSPECT
Suspect identified in Coventry Teen Fatally Stabbed on Anthony street
COVENTRY, R.I. — DePetro.com has learned the suspect who stabbed Nick Bennett is Josh Machado. Coventry police are actively investigating the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Nick Bennett following a late-night altercation behind an Anthony Street home and have not arrested or charged anyone. Sources close to the investigation claim police are trying to determine if it was self-defense. Additionally, Josh Machado allegedly arrived at the home with his girlfriend and was angry with the teenage resident there, not Bennett. Machado has not been charged and is presumed innocent even if he is charged.
According to the Coventry Police Department, officers responded around 10:15 p.m. to reports of a disturbance at 12 Anthony Street, located near St. Vincent De Paul Street. Upon arrival, first responders located Bennett in the backyard of the property suffering from severe stab wounds.
Officers immediately began CPR on Bennett until Coventry Fire/Rescue arrived on the scene. He was rushed to Kent County Hospital in Warwick, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
While law enforcement officers, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, and the State Medical Examiner’s Office continue to sort through the evidence, Bennett’s grieving family members stepped forward to share details about his final moments. Loved ones describe Bennett as a kindhearted, quiet young man and talented multi-instrumentalist who spent much of his time playing guitar. Family members stated they believe Bennett was killed while attempting to intervene and protect a friend during the altercation.
“That is Nick. Through and through,” his sister-in-law Amber Bennett said of his instinct to help others. His brother, Jayson Gagnon, shared that the family has been left completely shattered by the sudden loss.
Coventry Police expressed condolences to the Bennett family and noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the incident or events leading up to the stabbing to contact the Coventry Police Department Detectives Division.
