A New Jersey man was charged with two counts of murder for allegedly fatally stabbing his live-in nanny girlfriend and his girlfriend’s boss, the owner of a well-known comedy club, early Saturday at the employer’s family home.
The New York Times reported that Joseph Porter, 27, is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Karen Bermudez-Rodriguez, 26, who worked as a live-in au pair. He’s also accused of killing Bermudez-Rodriguez’s boss, David Kimowitz, 40.
The grisly incident happened hours after Porter and Bermudez-Rodriguez exchanged texts about breaking up.
Bermudez-Rodriguez apparently asked the suspect to return the keys to Kimowitz’s Maplewood home, but Porter allegedly used the key to enter the residence and stab Kimowitz to death.
Porter allegedly bound Bermudez-Rodriguez after killing Kimowitz. She managed to flee, but Porter chased her down the street with a knife and stabbed her roughly 300 feet from the home, according to the publication.
David Kimowitz, owner of the legendary comedy club The Stand, was beloved by comedians and the comedy community at large. We mourn his tragic loss with his family and all that knew him.
— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) August 5, 2019
Responding officers found Bermudez-Rodriguez injured in the street. They rushed her to the hospital but she succumbed to her injuries about an hour later, Fox News reported, citing prosecutors.
Officers who combed the area found Kimowitz dead in his home. The New York Times reported that a knife was located near his body.
A neighbor who spoke with the North Jersey Record recalled hearing a woman scream “Oh my God” early Sunday. She claimed she later learned the woman had found Bermudez-Rodriguez stabbed on the street after she fled the home.
The neighbor also alleged that other residents had recently seen Porter sitting in a car parked near the home for hours on end.
NJ.com reported Kimowitz co-owned The Stand, a renowned comedy club in Manhattan’s East Village. The news outlet noted that the club relocated this summer to 16th Street near Union Square Park after closing its previous spot in Grammercy Park.
While law enforcement hasn’t revealed a motive, The New York Times reported that officers reviewed text messages which suggest Porter was upset about the breakup.
Authorities apprehended Porter at Newark Liberty International Airport before he could board a plane to Mexico, according to NJ.com. A court hearing is pending.
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[Featured image: Joseph Porter and Karen Bermudez-Rodriguez/Facebook; David Kimowitz/Facebook]
