NEW BEDFORD — A 31-year-old Dartmouth man was ordered held without bail for allegedly fatally stabbing a woman who had worked at the New Bedford District Court, where he was arraigned Monday.
Tyler Dow Baglini is accused of stabbing Kerri Fidalgo, 31, to death at her New Bedford residence on Friday, Sept. 20, and is charged with murder.
His mental competency will be evaluated at Bridgewater State Hospital. He will be returned to court on Oct. 11 for a status hearing.
Family members, friends and co-workers — many dressed in black — filled the New Bedford courtroom Monday. Fidalgo had been a Probation Department support staff member at New Bedford District Court.
People could be heard crying in the audience. The voice of the clerk reading the charges against Baglini seemed to waver with emotion.
A probation officer from another district said that outside personnel were helping out at New Bedford District Court on Monday.
He said family members gathered at her desk Monday, after being shown where Fidalgo had worked. It was very difficult, he said.
Fatal stabbing: Dartmouth man to be charged with murder in stabbing homicide of New Bedford woman
Police said Baglini went to St. Luke's Hospital to report a stabbing
Assistant Bristol County District Attorney Dennis Collins said Baglini had gone to St. Luke's Hospital after he allegedly stabbed Fidalgo, and brought with him a kitchen knife believed to be the murder weapon.
According to the police report, New Bedford Police were initially called Friday afternoon at 4:52 p.m. by personnel at St. Luke's Hospital. They said Baglini was there, claiming his girlfriend had been stabbed to death at her 86 Atlantic St. residence. She lived at 84-86 Atlantic St. with her parents and sister.
Police went to the residence, but were told everything was fine until a shocked family member found Fidalgo's body in her apartment, stabbed multiple times, clad in a gray T-shirt.
She was transported to St. Luke's, where she was pronounced deceased.
Police: Baglini claimed serial killers committed the slaying
Baglini was initially held at St. Luke's for observation. He is also being charged with assault and battery on a police officer for allegedly kicking a hospital security officer in the chest and neck area, according to the police report.
He had been creating a disturbance, screaming and refusing to take medication at the hospital, according to the report.
The knife he brought was stained with what was believed to be blood. He told police that serial killers had killed his girlfriend, according to the report.
He also said a serial killer wanted to kill him, too, and that he ran to the hospital after he saw another serial killer, according to the police report.
Police said he had small spots of a substance that appeared to be dried blood on his face, according to the report.
Damages: Classes canceled at East Fairhaven School due to Sunday night fire
Psychologist: Baglini's mental competency will be evaluated
Baglini was subsequently evaluated by a psychologist, who ruled that further evaluation was needed.
The court agreed to defense attorney Michael Hussey's stipulation that the current evaluation will concern his competency, not criminal responsibility, at this time.
Police learned during the investigation that Fidalgo usually got home from work at the courthouse after 4:30 p.m., according to the report. She would then change clothes and go to work with her father at a residential management company as a caretaker.
A family member said Fidalgo and Baglini were acquaintances who attended high school together.
The family member said that Baglini started talking with her again after he had been recently released from jail.
Fidalgo asked Baglini to seek support, take his medication
The family member said Fidalgo was unhappy taking care of Baglini following his release, including clothing and feeding him, and said he was apt to get angry and yell if Fidalgo didn't pay enough attention to him, according to the police report. The report also states a co-worker thought they had been dating after his release.
Police viewed text messages on Fidalgo's phone from Thursday, Sept. 19, to Friday, Sept. 20, in which Baglini seems paranoid and threatens to kill himself, according to the report.
Fidalgo states in the message thread that Baglini is acting paranoid and hyper-fixating, and she tried to rationalize with him, according to the report.
She told him he needed to get help and to take his medication. She said she would visit him at the hospital, as she did in the past, according to the report.
Fidalgo said she was in fear of Baglini
Her last message was sent Friday morning, which stated, "Tyler we can talk later. After you get checked out. You need help. You need to get better. You're having an episode and you're paranoid. Everything will be OK but you need help. I love you. I care about you. Please."
According to the police report, he responded, "Goodbye, I really loved you and I forgive you. Time to go to hell. You were the best thing that ever happened to me."
Later that day, at 3:41 p.m., Baglini sent her a photo of a kitchen knife that appears to be the same knife he brought to St. Luke's, according to the report.
Fidalgo also texted Baglini's mother Friday morning, saying she was in fear of him. Fidalgo was told that Baglini was in the hospital and that Fidalgo should ignore him, according to the police report.
Police said Baglini went to St. Luke's earlier that Friday, at about 12:39 p.m., but left at 12:52 p.m.
He then arrived back at St. Luke's at about 4:48 p.m., saying Fidalgo had been stabbed, according to the police report.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Dartmouth man faces murder charge in fatal stabbing of New Bedford court employee
Local News
