A Red Bank man whose homicidal knife attack at the borough primary school two years ago left his ex-girlfriend seriously injured has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison, the Monmouth County Prosecutor announced Thursday.
Twenty-four-year-old Jorge Vargas-Mancilla’s sentencing came three months after he pleaded to attempted murder in state Superior Court in Freehold.
A concurrent four-year sentence was imposed by Judge Richard English for Vargas-Mancilla’s admission that he attacked the school’s principal, Rich Cohen, and guidance counselor Karl Parker in when they attempted to intervene on behalf of Vargas-Mancilla’s 21-year-old ex-girlfriend, the mother of his five-year-old child, a student at the school.
The attack occurred at about 9a on a school day, though no children were in the vicinity, authorities said at the time.
From a press release issued by the office of Acting Prosecutor Pete Warshaw:
Officers arrived to find the victim lying on her back in the
courtyard leading to the school, bleeding profusely, with Vargas-Mancilla lying on top of
her crying and yelling. The school’s principal was attempting to pull Vargas-Mancilla off
of the victim. Officers immediately removed Vargas-Mancilla from the victim and took
him into custody, while the school nurse tended to the victim until emergency medical
services arrived. Subsequently, the victim was transported by Red Bank Emergency
Medical Services to Riverview Medical Center, where she underwent surgery on her head,
neck, and hands for numerous stab wounds.
The ensuing investigation revealed that Vargas-Mancilla had arrived at the school
earlier that morning in search of the victim and their five year-old daughter, a student at
the school. When school staff saw Vargas-Mancilla acting suspiciously outside of the
school, they escorted him to the school’s front desk and notified the principal. Just as the
principal began speaking with Vargas-Mancilla, the victim arrived at the school with the
daughter. Vargas-Mancilla and the victim then walked outside while their daughter went
to class. Once outside, Vargas-Mancilla used a long kitchen knife to stab the victim
repeatedly in the neck, back, arms, and upper torso.
After initiating a school lockdown, the principal and a guidance counselor ran
outside to aid the victim. Other school personnel called “911.” When the principal and
guidance counselor reached Vargas-Mancilla, he swung his knife at both of them and then
continued to stab the victim. The guidance counselor then distracted Vargas-Mancilla and
kicked him in the back, at which time the principal grabbed Vargas-Mancilla’s arm and
disarmed him.
Vargas Mancilla must serve at least 12 years and 9 months before he becomes eligible for parole, according to the announcement.
Here’s the full press release: 012011-vargas-mancilla-sent
