A family's life was torn apart in Mesa, Arizona, when a husband allegedly stabbed his wife more than 16 times before calling 911 to confess—a violent attack prosecutors say was motivated by nothing more than wanting the victim to stop talking.
Background
On July 11, at approximately 4:30 p.m., officers with the Mesa Police Department responded to a residence after 32-year-old Nathaniel Scott Gotham called emergency services and admitted to stabbing his wife, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered the front door open. Officers found Gotham mounted on top of his wife as she lay facedown on the floor, authorities wrote. He complied with commands to surrender without incident.
The victim's injuries were severe and extensive. Medical personnel at a local hospital determined she had suffered 16 stab wounds to her back alone, along with multiple stab wounds and lacerations to her head, neck and face. She also sustained defensive wounds to her hands as she tried to protect herself from the attack.
Investigators documented blood throughout the home's entryway—on floors and walls—as they processed the crime scene.
The Investigation
Detectives recovered a blood-covered knife from the kitchen floor during the execution of a search warrant, according to the affidavit.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Gotham allegedly admitted he stabbed his wife 'more than a dozen times.' He told investigators he 'snapped' before retrieving what he described as a black-on-black steak knife from either a kitchen drawer or a knife block.
When asked why he stabbed the victim, Gotham stated he wanted to hurt her and wanted her to stop talking, police wrote. According to the affidavit, the victim pleaded with him to stop during the assault.
During the attack, Gotham allegedly told his wife she had 'wasted the best years of my life' and that he had 'ended up with the wrong woman.'
Court documents reveal Gotham admitted to previously assaulting his wife by choking her during an argument years earlier. He described their relationship as 'not good,' saying they had been living in a 'loveless marriage' despite being together for more than a decade and married for over four years.
After the stabbing, Gotham allegedly tried contacting his mother-in-law to apologize. He also called his own mother and said, 'I f—ed up, I probably won't see you again,' according to investigators.
Police determined that Gotham's admissions, physical evidence recovered from the home, officers' observations and the severity of the victim's injuries established probable cause that he intentionally caused serious physical injury by repeatedly stabbing her with a knife. He has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder.
Key Takeaways
- Nathaniel Scott Gotham, 32, is charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder following the July 11 attack on his wife in Mesa, Arizona
- Officers found the victim suffering from at least 16 stab wounds to her back, plus additional injuries to her head, neck and face
- Gotham allegedly admitted he wanted his wife 'to stop talking' before stabbing her with a kitchen knife
- He is being held at Lower Buckeye Jail in Maricopa County on $500,000 bond
What's Next
Gotham is scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on July 21. He remains in custody at the Lower Buckeye Jail as the case proceeds through Maricopa County Superior Court.