A North Dakota woman has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault after police said she attacked her sleeping boyfriend with a hatchet in Fargo, leaving him with a deep head wound and severely mutilated fingers.
Police said the early-morning assault occurred about 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 5 inside an attached garage near the 700 block of College Street North, where the couple had been staying. The victim, identified by authorities as 26-year-old Jonathan Granados, was transported to a hospital with what investigators described as a deep gash to the head and fingers that were reportedly missing or hanging by tissue.
According to court documents, an eyewitness who had been sleeping in the garage said he saw Lena Deoliveira, 23, swing down with a hatchet. The witness told investigators he initially thought the sound was the hatchet hitting a headboard or headrest, then was jolted awake by Granados' screams. When he rushed to the scene, the witness said he followed a trail of blood and observed the injuries to Granados' head and hands.
Deoliveira fled the scene after the attack, police said. She was arrested without incident two days later in Moorhead, Minnesota, about two miles from Fargo, and was booked into the Clay County Jail before being extradited to Cass County. Court records show she requested an attorney when questioned by authorities.
She made her first court appearance in Cass County on Friday, where a judge set bond at $500,000. Her next court date is scheduled for Oct. 16, according to charging documents.
Investigators said the case relies on the eyewitness account and physical evidence gathered at the scene, including a blood trail and crime-scene photographs that document Granados' wounds. Police have not released additional details about a possible motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities charged Deoliveira with attempted murder and aggravated assault. The charges carry significant penalties if she is convicted. Prosecutors and police declined to comment beyond information in charging papers and court filings.
Fargo, the most populous city in North Dakota, spans the border with Minnesota, where Moorhead is located; the two cities are part of a contiguous metropolitan area. The case will proceed through Cass County courts as investigators continue to gather evidence and prepare for future hearings.