Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – The male suspect who stabbed a woman to death in her Brockton driveway yesterday has died, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
At approximately 1:02 p.m. yesterday, Brockton Police received a 911 call for a report of a woman bleeding in the driveway at 342 Crescent Street in Brockton. Upon arrival, Brockton Police and emergency medical personnel located the female victim on the ground with obvious trauma to the head. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. She was identified as Veronica Goncalves, 48.
Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police assigned to the
Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, and an investigation commenced. The investigation included the execution of search warrants, conducting interviews and canvasses, and reviewing video surveillance. The investigation has found that Ms. Goncalves was targeted by the defendant, Joao Correia, 56, who stabbed Ms. Goncalves. The pair had a previous relationship.
Police located Correia inside the apartment where bloody clothing was also found. He was transported to Brockton Police Department for an interview. Correia told investigators that he had ingested battery acid and suffered a medical episode. Correia was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital before being medflighted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Correia was pronounced dead last night at 9:36 p.m.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine Correia’s cause of death.
The investigation is ongoing by Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police.