STOUGHTON — A man stabbed his mother and stepfather multiple times each inside their Stoughton residence on the evening of his 29th birthday, according to a police report that revealed chilling new details of the alleged attack.
The suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Paul O’Brien, called police shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday and told dispatchers he stabbed his mother inside their Stoughton apartment after she tried to stab him, police said.
When asked by dispatch how many times he stabbed his mother, O’Brien allegedly replied “enough,” according to the police report.
Police said O’Brien appeared to have blood on his hands and face when they arrived at the residence, located at 27 Page Terrace, where he was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect’s mother and stepfather, later identified as Kathleen and Michael Gaito, were located inside a fifth-floor apartment suffering from multiple life-threatening stab wounds that required emergency surgery, police said.
Paul O’Brien, 29, is accused of stabbing his mother and stepfather on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, inside their apartment at 27 Page Terrace in Stoughton, seen here on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.
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When officers entered the apartment where the attack occurred, they found a female, later identified as the suspect’s biological mother, Kathleen Gaito, lying face down in a pool of blood outside of a bathroom, according to the police report.
Officers located a second victim, later identified as Kathleen’s husband and O’Brien’s stepfather, Michael Gaito, suffering from multiple stab wounds to his back and torso in one of the apartment’s bedrooms, according to the report.
Police said they observed what appeared to be blood on the front door of the apartment, on the floor of the bedroom and on the door to the bedroom’s closet, which was off its tracks. They also located a bloody knife outside the bathroom near where Kathleen was located, according to the report.
At the scene, Michael told police he and Kathleen were sitting in the bedroom when Paul walked in and stabbed them both repeatedly, according to the police report.
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What was the motive?
It is unclear at this time what the motive for the alleged attack was.
According to the police report, the incident occurred on Paul O’Brien’s 29th birthday. Police said he was living with his mother and stepfather in the Page Terrace apartment at the time of the attack.
Paul O’Brien, 29, is accused of stabbing his mother and stepfather on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, inside their apartment at 27 Page Terrace in Stoughton, seen here on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.
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Charges
O’Brien was charged with two counts of armed assault to murder on a person 60 years or older, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a person 60 years or older, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and two counts of assault and battery.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges in Stoughton District Court Monday and was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, according to court documents.
Where to get help with domestic violence
If you or someone you know needs help regarding domestic abuse or violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 800-799-7233.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Stoughton stabbing: Man charged with attacking mother and stepfather