LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA – A chilling scene played out in Pennsylvania last week when a man allegedly murdered his former girlfriend in front of a police officer before attempting to take his own life during a foot chase, as reported by local authorities.
Trevor Weigel, aged 23, is accused of assaulting and stabbing 19-year-old Jaden Battista multiple times outside a Lower Makefield Township home located on Waterford Road. The authorities estimate that Battista was stabbed approximately 15 times.
The incident was initially reported to the police as a burglary in progress, with a man attempting to break into a house through a ground-floor window. The call was later identified as a domestic dispute by Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn.
Battista was engaged in a FaceTime conversation with a friend when she noticed Weigel outside her home, banging on the door. The friend, who was on the call, heard a disturbance and Battista’s voice becoming muffled, as if someone was attempting to silence her, according to the police.
The call was abruptly terminated, prompting the friend to try to reconnect several times before finally calling 911, which triggered the police response. Upon arrival, an officer observed Weigel standing next to a red Ford Mustang with the passenger door ajar. Weigel then allegedly pursued and attacked Battista, stabbing her repeatedly.
Weigel made his escape, stabbing himself in the neck several times while on the run before scaling a fence. He was eventually apprehended by police, who used a taser to subdue him. The murder weapon was later discovered by the authorities.
Weigel is now facing charges including criminal homicide, burglary, possession of an instrument of crime, disorderly conduct, and harassment. He is presently detained without the possibility of bail. Weigel and Battista had terminated their two-month relationship two months before the incident.
The first officer on the scene, a former Iraq War serviceman and Philadelphia Police Department officer, was lauded for his attempts to save Battista’s life. Despite his efforts, Battista later died in the hospital. District Attorney Schorn used this case to highlight the deadly potential of domestic violence situations.