Posted on: March 25, 2022 02:00 PM

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Former college lacrosse player convicted for St John s assault

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today announced that Matthew Stockfeder, 23, has been convicted by a jury for assault in the first degree. The defendant and the victim had been former lacrosse teammates at St. John’s University. On a fall evening in 2019, an argument between the two escalated to physical violence leading to the defendant pulling out a knife and stabbing the then-23-year-old victim.

District Attorney Katz said, “The victim in this case was nearly eviscerated by the defendant after an argument escalated to a physical altercation. As others broke up the fight, the defendant pulled out a kitchen knife and plunged it twice into his teammate’s abdomen. After listening to the evidence, a jury rendered a guilty verdict.”

Stockfeder, of Alderfield Lane in Melville, Long Island, was found guilty yesterday of assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree following a three-week-long jury trial. Queens Supreme Court Justice Stephen Knopf, who presided at trial, set sentencing for April 7, 2022. At that time, Stockfeder faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to trial testimony, on October 22, 2019, the victim was trying to sleep in the home he shared with Stockfeder and other members of the lacrosse team. The then-23-year-old victim complained about noise from an on-going party and explained he had to work early the next day. Even after agreeing to relocate the party, the defendant was angry about being relocated from his own home.

According to trial records, the two men argued back and forth over a group text message. After being called a loser by the defendant, the victim went to the new party-site to confront Stockfeder. The two men exchanged words and the defendant appeared to take a stance and raise his arms as if he might strike his housemate. That’s when the victim reacted and punched Stockfeder, who fell to the ground. Other students grabbed the victim and that’s when the defendant stood up, pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim twice in his stomach.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent life-saving emergency surgery to repair a laceration to his small intestine.
(From Queens DA's Office)