TACOMA, Wash. — A man arrested in connection to a stabbing at Point Defiance Park in February stabbed the victim repeatedly while claiming she was a pedophile, according to court documents released Monday.
Nicholas Fitzgerald Matthew, 27, who was charged in March with first-degree attempted murder, is accused of stabbing the victim repeatedly on Feb. 10 at the Tacoma park. During the attack, Matthew accused the victim of being a pedophile and said she would pay, according to court documents. Witnesses rushed to the victim's aid when Matthew allegedly said, "She’s a pedophile, I can’t let her live" and continued to stab her repeatedly, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Tuesday that Matthew's claims were false.
The victim offered Matthew money to stop stabbing her, but he did not stop the attack, authorities said.
At one point, court documents revealed that Matthew told the woman to tilt her head back so she wouldn't be in pain anymore. Authorities said in court documents the witnesses kicked Matthew in the face while he was crouched over the woman.
After stopping the attack, witnesses ran after Matthew who headed toward Owens Beach. But the witnesses eventually lost sight of Matthew, who fled the park and was on the run for over a month.
When officers arrived at the park, the woman was bleeding in multiple locations with stab wounds to her back and head. She told officers she felt like she was drowning. Investigators said the woman's skull was fractured in the attack. A 5- to 6-inch fixed-blade knife was believed to be used in the stabbing, according to investigators.
Authorities were granted a confidential warrant for first-degree attempted murder and learned Matthew was possibly in Atlanta, Georgia. Tacoma detectives traveled to Atlanta to apprehend Fitzgerald and discovered he was attempting to flee the country.
Matthew was arrested on Friday in San Francisco, according to the Tacoma Police Department. Police said Matthew is awaiting extradition from California to Pierce County, where he will face first-degree attempted murder charges.
Last month the victim of the stabbing came forward to describe her harrowing, near-death experience with the suspect. The woman, referred to by police as "Jane," asked that anyone who recognized her not identify her on social media.
"I used to be physically active and social, going outdoors for runs and hikes, going to the gym with my friends to rock climb," Jane said in February. "Now, sitting up, sleeping and walking around my house cause me pain, and I feel completely helpless. I know someday when I fully recover I will never take my mobility for granted again."
Jane said in February that fear envelops her life.
"All I could think as I lay on the ground trying to fight him off was, 'This can't be how I die, there's so much I still haven't done,'" Jane said. "I just kept thinking of all my loved ones that I would never see again. I was one wrong move from being killed, I was completely alone, and I still can't believe I survived."