Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and City of Burlington Police Chief John Fine announced that a 49-year-old city resident has been charged with fatally stabbing a man yesterday with whom he shared a residence in the East Farnerville section of the city.
Arthur Ayala, of the first block of East Fourth Street, was charged with Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree) and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree).
Ayala is scheduled for a first appearance in Superior Court in Mount Holly this afternoon.
Ayala was taken into custody shortly after officers from the City of Burlington Police Department were called to the residence at approximately 3 p.m. yesterday for a report of an unresponsive male on the ground in front of the house.
Alfred Hanna, 37, who resides at the same address, was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation revealed that Ayala stabbed Hanna multiple times prior to police being called to the scene. The knife believed to be used in the attack was recovered. The motive is under investigation.
An autopsy will be performed soon by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood.
Ayala will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Bob Van Gilst, supervisor of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit – Violent Crimes Section. The case was investigated by the City of Burlington Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department, the Burlington Township Police Department and the Florence Township Police Department. The lead investigators are City of Burlington Detective Jamie Lambing and BCPO Detective Nicholas Villano.
All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.