A tragic domestic incident took a deadly turn in Bedford-Stuyvesant as 40-year-old Kaydene Martin was arrested and charged in the fatal stabbing of her off-and-on again boyfriend, 47-year-old Donald Nesbit. According to News 12, the NYPD responded to a 911 call at the Roosevelt Houses on Marcus Garvey Blvd. last Saturday morning, where they discovered Nesbit had succumbed to multiple stab wounds in the back.
Further details emerged when Martin, described as having had a contentiously fluctuating relationship with the victim, was charged with first-degree manslaughter and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, as reported by News 12. Nesbit, who shared three children with Martin, ranging from ages 2 to 12, was reportedly attacked inside Martin's eighth-floor apartment before staggering to the lobby where he ultimately collapsed.
The narrative surrounding the incident was compounded by the complex history between victim and assailant. According to New York Daily News, the confrontation leading to Nesbit's stabbing began after an argument the night prior and escalated when he allegedly punched Martin in the face early that morning. Martin's attorney, Tina Nguyen, contends that her client brandished a kitchen knife in a bid for Nesbit to leave, which ultimately resulted in his fatal stabbing.
Legal proceedings against Martin have commenced, with the Brooklyn Criminal Court denying bail due to a previous warrant related to a petty larceny case. "There's a lot more behind the allegations that are in front of us right now. There's a lot more behind closed doors," Tina Nguyen told the court, and "Miss Martin, if anything, was the victim in this relationship," according to an interview given to New York Daily News. Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg noted a history of domestic violence incidents where Martin was allegedly the victim in nine out of 10 reported cases.
The incident has sent ripples of disbelief and mourning through Nesbit's family and network of friends. His mother, Margaret Nesbit, expressed shock and grief to the New York Daily News, saying she never imagined Martin would take his life. Meanwhile, family friend Tracy Monroe described Nesbit, “He was a beautiful person. He was an outgoing person, never had an attitude. He was happy-go-lucky. And for someone to take his life like that, that’s very difficult.”
A neighbor remembered him as a good guy who was always willing to help others, as recounted by News 12. Nesbit left behind his three young children with Martin and an older child from a previous relationship.
