A 20-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend outside a home in Montclair, New Jersey, on Friday, just as she was trying to leave on a trip to Virginia Beach, authorities said.
Akirah Townes, a 20-year-old who lived in Orange, was stabbed on Hartley Street, where she was visiting friends, around 6 a.m., the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.
Witnesses said they heard her screams for help and ran outside, where they saw a man with a knife stabbing her repeatedly.
"I've never heard anything like that," said Marques Holland. "I don't know how many times he stabbed her but she was screaming at least three to four times."
"The lights were in our face because the car was facing this way. I saw the knife go past the headlight and it looked like he was trying to get back and stab the girl again, and I darted from the house and pulled him off," he said.
Holland said it took four men to hold back the stabber.
Townes was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where she was pronounced dead less than an hour later, according to the release.
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Police have arrested 21-year-old Ahighah Broomes of Orange on murder and weapons charges in Townes' killing. Police say it appears Broomes and Townes were in a relationship at one point in the past. He turned himself in to police while detectives were looking for him.
He's being held pending a court appearance; attorney information wasn't immediately available.
Townes was one of 11 children, described by family members as beautiful and passionate, who dreamed of being a special ed teacher. Her brother told News 4 they believe her ex-boyfriend was upset that she broke up with him and wanted to get back together.
"He robbed my family of this wonderful person," said Tyre Townes. "She was really intelligent and driven... what you did was heinous."
Townes and her ex were high school sweethearts who dated for years, recently going to prom together, Tyre Townes said.
"He took my sister away," said Tyre Townes.
Funeral services for Townes will be held at 3 p.m. May 5 at the Lincoln Avenue School in Orange. The funeral director for the family said family and friends will also rally to protest domestic violence at the Orange Police Department at noon the same day.
