Police handcuffs and criminal fingerprints card
Police handcuffs and criminal fingerprints card

Edison Woman Charged in Fatal Stabbing

Posted by
1 min read
July 24, 2024

Edison, NJ – Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Thomas Bryan of the Edison Police Department announced that Joan Franklin Polanco, 37, of Edison, has been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing that occurred in Edison on Sunday.

On Sunday, at approximately 4:37 p.m., the Edison Police Department received a 911 call reporting a stabbing on Horizon Drive. Upon arrival, officers found Lizbeth Benitez-Rivera, 37, of Edison, with multiple stab wounds. Benitez-Rivera was pronounced deceased at the scene.

An investigation led by Detective Clint Hetzell of the Edison Police Department and Detective Javier Morillo of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Benitez-Rivera’s son was asleep in his room. Upon waking up later in the afternoon, he found his mother deceased with multiple stab wounds. The investigation revealed that Joan Franklin Polanco was seen entering the bedroom with a knife and leaving the residence shortly after the incident.

Hours later, Polanco was located and detained by the New York City Police Department. Polanco was charged with first-degree murder and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Hetzell of the Edison Police Department at 732-248-7400 or Detective Morillo of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-8843.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version