Nicolas Trombetta, 25, allegedly slit a man's throat and stabbed him repeatedly in the back while they were cooking steaks and watching television together at an Alabama apartment, authorities said.
Jonathan Blake Chaney, 30, survived the June 12 attack at his apartment complex in Albertville. He shared his account with Huntsville-based NBC affiliate WAFF.
Background
Chaney told investigators he had recently met Trombetta and allowed him to stay at his apartment for a few days. The two men were inside Chan's residence on June 12 when the violence erupted, according to authorities with the Albertville Police Department.
The victim said they were cooking steaks and watching television together while planning activities for the following day, including a kayaking trip.
"I was caught off guard, because we went from cooking steaks … to you just slit my throat, you know, and so of course I get up, start trying to grab my phone off the nightstand, and that's just when he just starts stabbing me in the back," Chaney told WAFF.
The two men reportedly struggled until Chaney fell onto the floor. He said survival instinct took over.
"I just remember thinking, 'you cannot die like this,'" Chaney recalled. "The whole time I was fighting him, that's what I was thinking."
The Investigation
Chaney managed to get the knife away from Trombetta and fought back, authorities said. Officers with the Albertville Police Department responded to the scene and found both men still at the location.
Chaney sustained more severe injuries than Trombetta, investigators noted. Officers located a kitchen knife covered in blood inside the apartment's bedroom.
An investigator told authorities that surveillance footage from a camera inside the apartment would have captured the entire attack. However, two hours before the assault occurred, Trombetta had turned the camera to face the opposite direction.
Trombetta is charged with attempted murder and is being held in the Marshall County Jail without bond, according to jail records from the Marshall County Sheriff's Office.
Key Takeaways
- Nicolas Trombetta, 25, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the June 12 attack on Jonathan Blake Chaney, 30
- The alleged assault occurred at Chan's apartment complex in Albertville after the two men had recently met and Chaney allowed Trombetta to stay with him
- Chaney claims he was stabbed after his throat was slit while they were cooking steaks and watching television together
- Investigators say surveillance footage that could have captured the attack was deliberately repositioned by Trombetta approximately two hours prior
- Both men remained at the scene when police arrived; Chaney had more severe injuries than Trombetta
What's Next
Trombetta remains in custody at the Marshall County Jail without bond pending further court proceedings. No trial date has been set, and the case is still under investigation by the Albertville Police Department.