South Milwaukee, WI (WITI) -- A South Milwaukee man has been charged in the brutal stabbing of a woman found covered in blood in a wheelchair.
Kehinde Afolayan, 31, faces one count of first degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon.
The fatal stabbing happened on Friday, Jan. 11 near 5th Avenue and Clark Avenue in South Milwaukee.
According to a criminal complaint, police responded to a lower unit at a four-unit apartment building, where they found the 62-year-old female victim lying motionless in her wheelchair -- covered in blood, who "appeared to be partially disemboweled."
Meanwhile, the complaint said Afolayan came downstairs "holding a blood-covered white undershirt." He was arrested.
Arrangements were made to transport the victim to the hospital via Flight for Life, but she passed away before that could happen. An autopsy revealed she suffered 116 stab wounds -- 48 to the chest, 50 to the abdomen and 18 to the arms, shoulder and hands.
A bloody knife was found on the floor of the kitchen, the complaint said. The 12-centimeter blade was bent. Another bloody knife with the blade missing was found, and a third was found in the driveway of the house next door.
The complaint said a witness indicated he looked into the victim's apartment and "saw a man stabbing the victim as she sat in her wheelchair." He said he knew the suspect as "someone whom, in the past month, he had seen getting the victim's mail from her mailbox."
Yvonne Lytge, heard Deborah Lynch struggling inside her apartment.
"I started pounding on the door and she said 'back door.' I was focused on him, but I did see a cut on her shoulder. I've never seen him coming. I've never seen him leaving. I have never seen him before. She wouldn't harm anybody, and she was so soft-spoken," said Lytge.
The victim's son, who lived with the victim, identified Afolayan as "someone who had been living in the apartment since October." He said early that morning, he woke up to someone yelling in the apartment. The son wasn't present at the apartment until later that morning, after the stabbing.
The complaint said police were unable to identify the Afolayan because "he was not communicative," other than "uttering statement such as 'Jesus forgives me."
Leaders at the Oak Creek Assembly of God, where Lynch was a loyal member for nearly four decades, issued a statement on behalf of the victim in this case, Deborah Lynch:
"We are shocked and deeply saddened at the tragic loss of Deborah Lynch. She was part of our church family for nearly four decades. Deborah was involved in several areas, including Sunday Morning Groups and Women’s Ministries. We pray that the ongoing investigation will lead to answers. Deborah’s family is thankful for the prayers of the community. They have asked for privacy as they grieve."
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