Story by Ethan
On September 21st, 2024, charges against Wellinton Leonardo were announced by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Lawrence Cattano of Perth Amboy Police Department. Wellinton Leonardo was charged with one count of first–degree Murder, one count of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, one count of second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and one count of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, on September 21st, 2024, a 911 call was made reporting a stabbing on Bertrand Avenue at approximately 2:57 a.m.. Responding officers arrived at the scene to discover two individuals lying on the floor. Responding officers administered first aid to both individuals before transporting them to separate hospitals. The victim, Rosana Rodriguez, age 40, was stabbed, and unfortunately passed away in Meridian Hospital Raritan Bay Medical Center while being cared for. The other individual was Wellinton Leonardo, who was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for treatment to his less serious injuries.
The incident prompted an investigation launched by Detective Danny Hernandez of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Detective Michelle Coppola of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation revealed that Wellinton Leonardo and Rosana Rodriguez were married, and that the stabbing was not a random act of violence. Allegedly the incident also took place in front of children, which warranted the second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child charge.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the charges against Wellinton Leonardo are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
