Suspect in Massachusetts stabbing series linked to Connecticut death investigation

A 26-year-old man accused of carrying out a stabbing in Massachusetts over the weekend that injured six people, including four girls, was ordered to undergo a forensic evaluation on Tuesday.

Jared Ravizza, 26, is accused of attacking four girls at a Braintree movie theater and then stabbing two McDonald’s employees at a Plymouth rest stop. He was arrested Saturday after a chase that ended with a crash in his black 2018 Porsche Macan.

A judge on Tuesday granted Ravizza’s public defender’s request for a competency evaluation at his arraignment in Plymouth. Ravizza has not confessed and his attorney declined a request for comment.

In Plymouth, Ravizza was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of armed assault with the purpose of murder and one count of exhibitionism.

Criminal charges were filed against Ravizza in Braintree for four counts of assault resulting in death and four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Connecticut State Police said Tuesday that Ravizza was also involved in the investigation into a death that occurred Saturday afternoon in Deep River.

2 McDonald’s employees stabbed to death in Plymouth

Officers from the Massachusetts State Police and Plymouth Police responded to a McDonald’s on Saturday evening after reports that two employees had been stabbed by a customer.

According to witness statements and surveillance footage, Ravizza drove to the drive-thru at 6:52 p.m., got into a verbal argument with an employee, Igor Marques, and stabbed him about a minute later, police said.

Marques told police he and his co-worker prepared Ravizza’s order – two double cheeseburgers, a small French fry and a McFlurry. When Ravizza came to the window, he demanded silverware and that Marques remove all items from his bag to make sure his order was correct, officers said.

Ravizza allegedly tried to grab the bag, at which point Marques backed away and Ravizza slashed forward with a knife, officials said. Surveillance footage described in the criminal complaint appeared to corroborate Marques’ testimony.

According to the criminal complaint, the cut on Marques’ arm was about 3.5 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters deep.

Marques rushed outside to call his supervisor and police. One of his co-workers told police he fled to another room to call for help, where he heard someone yelling “Stop” and “Don’t do that,” authorities said.

Another employee who worked outside the building told police that Ravizza turned his car around and parked outside after Marques was injured. He then went into the building with a knife and stabbed another employee, Eliamny Garcia, officials said.

Garcia was questioned by police at the hospital, where staff told police that she had suffered three stab wounds. The largest wound, on her upper left arm, required four stitches.

According to police, Garcia said Ravizza came in with the knife above her head and ran toward her. She was stabbed as she ran to the back of the restaurant, where she hid until police arrived, the complaint states.

A woman told officers she saw a man matching Ravizza’s description exposing himself and urinating in front of a Porsche in the drive-thru line. She compared his expression to “Jack Nicholson’s expression in ‘The Shining.'” He told her he had to pee while giving her the middle finger, police said.

The woman told authorities she saw the man brandishing a large knife and that his upper body was partially protruding outside the driver’s window.

Ravizza linked to stabbing in film

Authorities believe Ravizza was involved in two other incidents before the stabbing in Plymouth.

An hour before the violence at McDonald’s, police were alerted to a stabbing about 30 miles north at a movie theater in Braintree. Authorities did not provide details of the alleged attack in the criminal complaint, but the police department said four girls between the ages of 9 and 17 were attacked “without saying anything and without warning.”

Lisa Dembowski told NBC Boston that her three daughters were at the movie theater with a friend watching “If” when a man allegedly approached them from behind as they sat down.

“I think the two younger ones are coping a little better with it,” said Dembowski. “The older one is very protective and is simply more concerned about them and how they are doing.”

The girls are expected to make a physical recovery, but Dembowski said they are emotionally shaken.

Criminal charges were filed against Ravizza on Tuesday in connection with the Braintree incident, but a spokesman for the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office said he was not transported to court for the arraignment.

Murder investigation in Connecticut

The criminal complaint for the Plymouth incident states that Massachusetts State Police were asked by Connecticut authorities to help verify Ravizza’s Massachusetts residence, which he described as a “person of interest” in a “homicide” investigation.

Connecticut State Police said Tuesday that Ravizza was identified at the scene of an incident at a home in Deep River on Saturday. Officers responded to a home on Merriwold Lane at 3:36 p.m. after a report that a suspect “threw a shovel through the front door window and then made off.”

According to police, the suspect was identified as someone who was inside a nearby home. Outside, officers discovered a man with “visible injuries.” The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man was identified as 70-year-old Bruce Feldman, but authorities did not release a cause of death.

Authorities said Ravizza’s belongings were found at the scene and witnesses provided a description of him. Tuesday’s statement did not name him as a suspect in Feldman’s death.

Connecticut State Police said the investigation is ongoing.