Man held in Peabody house party stabbing

By Julie Manganis
Staff writer

May 13, 2008 06:00 am

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PEABODY — A barber from Peabody is being held on attempted-murder charges after three people were stabbed during a house party on Lowell Street early Saturday morning.

Freudy Valenzuela, 19, of 41 Walnut St. pleaded not guilty to stabbing a 20-year-old Lawrence man, Winston Delacruz, during the party at 197 Lowell St.

Two others, Jonathan Delacruz, 20, of Lawrence (Winston's cousin) and Kilder Cardona, 20, of Peabody, were also stabbed during the fracas, which apparently started when two other guests began arguing over a girl both had dated, prosecutor Ashlee Logan told a Peabody District Court judge.

Police are still investigating who stabbed Jonathan Delacruz and Cardona.

The fight broke out sometime around 4 a.m. As the owner of the apartment, Rosa Marquez, attempted to clear out the guests, Winston Delacruz said he felt something sharp in his stomach and then was jumped by four or five guys, who threw punches and struck him with glass bottles.

Two girls held him back as he tried to get away, he told police at the Lahey Clinic, where he was being treated.

Meanwhile, his cousin Jonathan said he came out of the bathroom and heard the commotion. He was then struck numerous times by someone and was stabbed in the upper abdomen. Jonathan was being treated at Beverly Hospital. Cardona was treated at Salem Hospital.

A witness described one of the assailants as a young Hispanic male with braids and a teardrop tattoo under his eye.

Police found a Sidekick cell phone left behind at the party and then got a call from a witness who led them to Valenzuela.

Defense lawyer John Lalikos said his client, who moved here from New York last year, was working as a barber in Lynn and living with his brother's family.

"He had nothing to do with the fight and doesn't know the girl," Lalikos said. He said Valenzuela left the party before the stabbing.

Police found an arrest warrant from New York, where Valenzuela is facing narcotics charges.

Judge James O'Leary set bail at $25,000 cash and ordered Valenzuela to stay away from the victims if he makes bail, which appeared unlikely yesterday. A status hearing was scheduled for June 6.