Marlene McNeill, 40, died in the hospital after sustaining "life-threatening injuries," police said
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- Marlene McNeill, 40, died in the hospital after she was stabbed at Shalom House, a group home in Portland, Maine, on Monday, May 4
- 40-year-old Armando Javier Negrete, a resident of the home, was arrested and charged with her murder
- A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for Negrete, who is held in Cumberland County Jail without bail
Police have confirmed that a man was arrested and charged with murder following the stabbing of a mom-of-two at a group home in Portland earlier this week.
Marlene McNeill, 40, of Gorham, Maine, sustained "life-threatening injuries" and died at Maine Medical Center after she was stabbed at Shalom House in Portland on Monday, May 4, according to a Portland Police Department press release shared with PEOPLE.
Authorities added that the office of the chief medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
The attack happened around 10:00 a.m. local time on Monday in a hallway at the back of the home, according to local outlet WMTW. Firefighters escorted residents on the second floor of the home out via a ladder truck so they wouldn't need to walk through the crime scene, WMTW in subsequent coverage.
Credit: GoFundMe
Officers located the suspect, 40-year-old Armando Javier Negrete, a Shalom House resident, and took him into custody without incident. Detectives returned on Tuesday, May 5, to take photos and search a yard where a knife was found, WMTW added.
Negrete was transported to Cumberland County Jail. His initial court appearance was on Wednesday, May 6, per Maine Public Radio. The judge ordered a mental health evaluation for the suspect, who is being held without bail.
Shalom House is a nonprofit organization that supports adults living with mental illness. In a statement via WMTW, a spokesperson described McNeill as "dedicated to Shalom House employees and clients" and said, "There is much to be said to honor Marlene. She shared with the rest of the Shalom House team a passion for the agency's mission."
McNeill's partner's brother, Brian O'Connell, started a fundraiser to support her family on GoFundMe. As of Thursday, May 7, over $122,000 has been raised.
"She was a devoted mother to her two young children, a fiercely loyal partner to Mike O'Connell, and a friend whose laughter, warmth, and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone she touched," Brian wrote.
He said that their children are "too young to fully understand what has happened," but added, "What they do understand is that their mother is gone, and that their father is doing everything he can to hold things together for them."
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The investigation into the case is ongoing. The Portland Police Department is urging people who may have information to call them at 207-874-8575 or send a text to 847411, including the keyword PPDME.
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