Woman charged in stabbing death after investigators found things that didn't add up
May 26—GOSHEN — Inconsistencies apparently emerged from what emergency responders initially saw at the scene where a Dunlap woman allegedly killed her husband, and what detectives learned as they investigated.
A murder charge was filed against Blanca Hernandez, 31, Tuesday, five days after she was arrested as the suspect in the stabbing death of Alejandro Vergara. The 35-year-old's body was found in the couple's home in the 23000 block of Florence Avenue last Thursday.
Police responded to the home based on Hernandez's call to 9-1-1 around 8 a.m., where she allegedly reported Vergara had stabbed her and then himself during an argument. When he arrived, an officer found Hernandez performing chest compressions on Vergara in the basement. Blood was also found smeared on the wall of a room, as well as a bed and carpet, an investigator said in the probable cause affidavit in the case.
After emergency responders arrived and took over resuscitation efforts, Vergara was pronounced dead at the scene. Hernandez was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend to be treated for stabbing injuries, apparently around her abdomen.
As detectives from the Elkhart County Homicide Unit began investigating, an emergency responder expressed concerns Vergara's body temperature was colder than would have been expected for the minutes it took to reach the scene after the 9-1-1 call. The responder also noted to detectives the blood on Vergara's body was drying, and the wounds were no longer bleeding, according to the affidavit.
A witness at the address also told investigators Hernandez and Vergara were heard arguing in the house around 6:30 that morning. About 20 minutes later, the witness heard a thump coming from the couple's bedroom. Blood was seen on a door and on Hernandez's shirt a short time after that, details in the affidavit show.
A line in the affidavit referenced existing allegations that Vergara had cheated on Hernandez.
Crime scene technicians examining Vergara found several sharp-edged wounds on his body, including at least a hip, knee, elbow, shoulders, fingers and in the center of his back. A pocket knife was also found near the body, the affidavit shows.
At the hospital, Hernandez told a detective she and Vergara began arguing around 6 a.m. when Vergara returned home. Hernandez described how she had put her hand up to block the knife being swung by Vergara, and then said he grabbed her hand and "poked himself" before using her hand to stab himself, the affidavit shows. After he fell, Hernandez told the detective she checked him and called 9-1-1.
A doctor at the hospital, meanwhile, told the detective the stab wounds to Hernandez's abdomen were at an angle more consistent with self-inflicted injuries, according to the affidavit.
The case was filed in Elkhart County Circuit Court. Hernandez is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing Thursday.
Aimee Ambrose can be reached at aimee.ambrose@goshennews.com or 574-533-2151, ext. 240316. Follow her on Twitter at @aambrose_TGN.
