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SALT LAKE CITY — A woman accused of stabbing her neighbor 12 times in the neck in an unprovoked attack has had her charges upgraded to murder following his death.
Dyann Mariel Hernandez, 23, of Salt Lake City, was originally charged on Nov. 20 with attempted murder for an alleged assault on Linton Livingston, 67, on Nov. 15.
The attack on Livingston on his front porch in the 800 block of Arapahoe Avenue left him with neck, head and spinal cord injuries and unable to breathe without medical assistance, according to the original charges filed in November. Police believe Livingston was stabbed with a pair of scissors.
On Dec. 2, Livingston, a Vietnam vet and father of eight, died as a result of his injuries.
After the attack, Hernandez fled the scene, police say, and was arrested three days later during a routine traffic stop.
On Friday, Hernandez was charged with murder, a first-degree felony; and obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.
The stabbing occurred just one day after Hernandez was charged in a separate case with aggravated assault, a third-degree felony, and child abuse, a class B misdemeanor. Her next court appearance for that case was scheduled for Dec. 26.
In December, Hernandez was charged in yet another case with aggravated robbery after allegedly threatening her mother and another man with a knife, according to court documents. The case was later dismissed.
