EDISON, N.J. – A 37-year-old man was arrested in New York City hours after allegedly stabbing a woman to death in her Edison home on Sunday, authorities reported. This incident comes amid a concerning rise in violent crime in the area.
Lizbeth Benitez-Ramirez was discovered deceased by her 16-year-old son in their Horizon Drive residence after he awoke from a nap around 4:30 p.m., according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The suspect, Joan Franklin Polanco, also of Edison, was identified as having entered Benitez-Ramirez’s room with a knife before fleeing the scene. Law enforcement officials apprehended Polanco at 8:36 p.m. in Manhattan, near West 86th Street and Riverside Drive.
While the exact nature of the relationship between Polanco and Benitez-Ramirez remains undisclosed, officials confirmed their acquaintance. Polanco is currently detained in New York, awaiting extradition to New Jersey to face charges of murder and weapons offenses. No court date in Middlesex County has been scheduled yet.
This tragic event underscores the escalating crime rates plaguing the area. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Edison police Det. Clint Hetzell at 732-248-7400 or Det. Javier Morillo of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-8843.
