Haverhill Man, Charged with Murder, Pleads Not Guilty

Newburyport District Court.

Newburyport District Court.

Hayden Delafuente, 21, was formally charged with murder Tuesday and ordered to remain in jail without bail.

Delafuente, of Haverhill, was originally arrested and charged with two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The additional charge of murder came following the death of Matthew S. Sabatino, 28, last Thursday. Delafuente pleaded not guilty at Haverhill District Court, temporarily sitting in Newburyport. With Sabatino’s death, one of two counts of assault with intent with murder was dismissed, said Carrie Kimball-Monahan, spokesperson for Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett. He returns to court for a probable cause hearing July 26.

Sabatino suffered stab wounds to the heart and lung early Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend after reportedly trying to break up a fight in front of 77 Washington St., downtown. His death becomes Haverhill’s third murder this year. There was one during all of 2016.

“Upon Arrival, first responding officers encountered two males who had been stabbed during an altercation on the sidewalk of 77 Washington St.,” Lt. Robert P. Pistone, police spokesman, said at the time. “First responders provided lifesaving measures, and the two male victims ages 28 and 30 were transported via ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital.” Sabatino was medflighted to Boston and died at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Besides Sabatino, a 30-year old Salem, N.H., man was transported to Lawrence General with non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the fight.

“Last night, my family and I had to say goodbye to my baby brother. He put up a hell of a fight, but in the end, despite incredible effort by doctors and nurses, his body had just had enough,” wrote Sabatino’s family members on a GoFundMe page last week. “There are no words to describe the pain we are all feeling. Matty is leaving behind family who love him dearly, friends who regard him as a legend, babies he won’t get to see grow up and a fiancée who loves him fiercely.”

Sabatino was engaged to Courtney L. Trussell of Lawrence and had two children, Logan M. and Falyn M. Sabatino.