AUBURN - A fight over a cell phone and a hat has left one man dead and another in jail, charged with first-degree manslaughter.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Auburn police found Anthony Agee, 25, near the corner of Venice and Barber streets, suffering from a single stab wound to his right side. Agee later died from his injury at Auburn Memorial Hospital.
Auburn police found Anthony Agee, 25, near the corner of Venice and Barber streets, suffering from a single stab wound to his right side. Agee later died from his injury at Auburn Memorial Hospital.
Anthony Agee, 25, died early Sunday morning at Auburn Memorial Hospital from a single stab wound to the right side of his abdomen.
Police had found Agee, of 8 James St., Auburn, at 11:16 p.m. Saturday night sitting on a step at the corner of Barber and Spring streets, after responding to a report of a stabbing at 19 Venice St.
Agee had been stabbed by 17-year-old Joshua Nervina following an argument that had ensued at the Venice Street home, according to witnesses and police.
A cell phone and hat had been taken from Nervina, of 23 Pulaski St., Auburn.
"It was all over a cell phone and a hat and it escalated from there," said Auburn Police Chief Gary Giannotta.
Nervina later turned himself in at the Auburn police station. He was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter. Nervina was arraigned in Auburn city court and is being held in Cayuga County jail.
Police said that two knives were recovered from the scene, and that a witness said both Agee and Nervina both wielded knives.
Giannotta said that Auburn police were familiar with both Agee and Nervina from previous incidents.
The stabbing didn't come as a surprise to some neighbors.
Diane Bromley, who lives in an apartment at 23 Barber St., said there was a lot of loud music and rowdy people there on the weekends.
"They party hearty on Friday and Saturday nights," she said.
All of that activity makes Bromley uneasy. As a precaution, she keeps her doors locked all the time. She would like to see an increased police presence around Venice Street to make the residents feel safer and diffuse situations before they turn into violent crimes.
Ben Queen, who lives at 15 Venice St., wasn't surprised about the homicide. He's lived in the neighborhood for about four years and is accustomed to seeing a lot of people passing along the street.
"A lot of stuff goes on here," said Queen, 51. "Most of it all day long is a lot of kids out here."
Still, Queen feels a lot safer in Auburn than in Los Angeles, where he lived for six years.
"There you could get killed sitting in your own living room," he said. "But crime's going to happen no matter where you are."
This is the third homicide of the year in Cayuga County, and fourth in the last 12 months.
Andrea Kell, 17, of Weedsport, was allegedly stabbed by her boyfriend, Bradley C. Laning, on the nature trail at Cayuga Community College on March 31. He turned himself in to police that night but pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.
Bradley and Wendy Foster were both found dead in their Aurelius home on April 10. Following autopsies, Cayuga County Sheriff's investigators determined Bradley had strangled his wife with his hands. He later killed himself by taking prescription and over-the-counter medications and duct-taping a plastic bag over his head. The deaths were ruled a murder-suicide.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
Police had found Agee, of 8 James St., Auburn, at 11:16 p.m. Saturday night sitting on a step at the corner of Barber and Spring streets, after responding to a report of a stabbing at 19 Venice St.
Agee had been stabbed by 17-year-old Joshua Nervina following an argument that had ensued at the Venice Street home, according to witnesses and police.
A cell phone and hat had been taken from Nervina, of 23 Pulaski St., Auburn.
"It was all over a cell phone and a hat and it escalated from there," said Auburn Police Chief Gary Giannotta.
Nervina later turned himself in at the Auburn police station. He was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter. Nervina was arraigned in Auburn city court and is being held in Cayuga County jail.
Police said that two knives were recovered from the scene, and that a witness said both Agee and Nervina both wielded knives.
Giannotta said that Auburn police were familiar with both Agee and Nervina from previous incidents.
The stabbing didn't come as a surprise to some neighbors.
Diane Bromley, who lives in an apartment at 23 Barber St., said there was a lot of loud music and rowdy people there on the weekends.
"They party hearty on Friday and Saturday nights," she said.
All of that activity makes Bromley uneasy. As a precaution, she keeps her doors locked all the time. She would like to see an increased police presence around Venice Street to make the residents feel safer and diffuse situations before they turn into violent crimes.
Ben Queen, who lives at 15 Venice St., wasn't surprised about the homicide. He's lived in the neighborhood for about four years and is accustomed to seeing a lot of people passing along the street.
"A lot of stuff goes on here," said Queen, 51. "Most of it all day long is a lot of kids out here."
Still, Queen feels a lot safer in Auburn than in Los Angeles, where he lived for six years.
"There you could get killed sitting in your own living room," he said. "But crime's going to happen no matter where you are."
This is the third homicide of the year in Cayuga County, and fourth in the last 12 months.
Andrea Kell, 17, of Weedsport, was allegedly stabbed by her boyfriend, Bradley C. Laning, on the nature trail at Cayuga Community College on March 31. He turned himself in to police that night but pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.
Bradley and Wendy Foster were both found dead in their Aurelius home on April 10. Following autopsies, Cayuga County Sheriff's investigators determined Bradley had strangled his wife with his hands. He later killed himself by taking prescription and over-the-counter medications and duct-taping a plastic bag over his head. The deaths were ruled a murder-suicide.
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267 or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
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