New Hampshire Man Convicted Of Fatally Stabbing Ex-Girlfriend At Her Book Club Meeting

Amanda Dabrowski, 31, went to a book club meeting inside O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 3, 2019. Then, just before 8 p.m., her ex-boyfriend Carlos Asencio entered the restaurant with two large knives and wandered around until he found her leaving the bathroom. He then stabbed her 58 times, reported Boston 25 News.

Horrified onlookers tried to stop the gruesome murder in the crowded restaurant, but Asencio fought back and injured one of the restaurant patrons who tried to subdue him.

Asencio had first met Dabrowski in 2018 when they were both working at Bristol Myers Squibb, a pharmaceutical company, and the two dated for three months before Dabrowski broke up with Asencio.

Asencio later started stalking Dabrowski using a tracking app on a cellphone that he taped to her car. He broke into Dabrowski’s home a few months before the murder in April 2019. He attacked her with a stun gun in an apparent attempt to kill her, then fled the country, reported Boston.com. However, he returned by June 2019.

When Asencio went to trial for Dabrowski’s murder in early June 2023, prosecutors said that this murder was about revenge. According to CBS News, they told the jury he lost his job, became homeless and blamed Dabrowski for all those problems. Worcester County Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Scanlon told jurors that Asencio decided that, if he couldn’t have her, nobody would.

The defense couldn’t deny that Asencio killed Dabrowski, but they claimed that he was mentally ill and in the middle of a psychotic episode when he stabbed her.

On June 20, 2023, the Worcester Superior Court jury only deliberated for hours before coming back with their verdict. Carlos Asencio was found guilty of first-degree murder and assault, reported WCVB. He was also found guilty of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for his violence against one of the people in the restaurant who tried to intervene and save Dabrowski.

Asencio now faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole and should be sentenced on June 29.

“While no verdict will ever bring Amanda back, we are relieved that a jury found this man responsible for taking her from us. We know he can never harm another person again. The jury helped us find some justice today, though we know there are no real winners,” Dabrowksi’s family said in a statement that was shared by PEOPLE.

CBS News reported that Ed Dabrowski, the victim’s father, stated, "She said, 'I want to keep this monster from hurting everyone else,' and I have to think that tonight's rain is tears of joy from heaven. Amanda could have made such a difference in the world. She was so smart, outgoing and all I can say is Asencio might have taken her life, but she remains in our hearts, our minds and our souls."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence or abuse from a romantic partner, you can visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1.800.799.SAFE, or text START to 88788 for help. Advocates are available 24/7 to help callers talk through their situation and connect them with local resources. There is no charge to reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.