SOMERVILLE, N.J. — A Somerville man has been charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of his wife following an investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and local police.
Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said Somerville police responded to a 911 welfare check at a residence on Brookside Avenue at approximately 7:26 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6.
Officers entered the home and found 46-year-old Alyne Espinal suffering from multiple lacerations to her chest, neck and thigh. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the Somerville Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Crime Scene Investigations Unit and medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office launched a homicide investigation.
A postmortem examination conducted by the Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined Alyne Espinal’s death was a homicide.
On Tuesday, August 11, investigators arrested 55-year-old Ignacio Espinal in West New York without incident following a multi-agency search.
Espinal was transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for processing before being charged with first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering.
He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Authorities credited the Union City Police Department, West New York Police Department, Paterson Police Department, New York City Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and multiple FBI task forces for assisting in locating and arresting Espinal.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit or the Somerville Police Department. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the STOPit app or Somerset County Crime Stoppers.
- Alyne Espinal, 46, was found fatally stabbed inside her Somerville home.
- The Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.
- Ignacio Espinal, 55, was arrested in West New York on August 11.
- He is charged with murder, weapons offenses and hindering.
- Multiple local, state and federal agencies assisted with the investigation.
Domestic homicide investigations often involve extensive coordination between local police, county prosecutors, forensic investigators and regional law enforcement agencies, particularly when a suspect leaves the jurisdiction before an arrest can be made.
FAQ
Who was charged?
Ignacio Espinal, 55, of Somerville.
Who was the victim?
Alyne Espinal, 46.
Where did the homicide occur?
At a residence on Brookside Avenue in Somerville.
What charges does Ignacio Espinal face?
First-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering.
Where was he arrested?
He was taken into custody in West New York without incident.
Sources: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office; Somerville Police Department
