A 34-year-old Lindenwold man is facing attempted murder charges after police say he walked out of his home, stabbed a neighbor multiple times, and then went back inside. Sean Hammonds was arrested in connection with the daytime attack at the intersection of Sussex Drive and Ashbourne Avenue, which left a 34-year-old victim with multiple stab wounds and sent him to the hospital.
The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said Hammonds has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. Lindenwold police responded to the scene at 1:59 p.m. Wednesday and found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds, as reported by NJ.com. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital in stable condition.
Investigators say Hammonds and the victim lived in the same neighborhood and knew each other, though a motive has not been made public. Security footage reviewed by authorities reportedly shows Hammonds leaving his home, attacking the man, and then returning inside, per the NJ.com report. A knife with suspected blood was recovered from Hammonds' home, the outlet notes.
Major Crimes Unit and Lindenwold Police Lead Investigation
The case is being investigated jointly by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit and the Lindenwold Police Department. The prosecutor's office is asking anyone with information to come forward through CAMDEN.TIPS, with Iovan Plaza and Ryan Brennan listed as contacts for tips, a joint effort reflecting how county prosecutors and local police typically handle major violent crime cases in Camden County.
Hammonds is currently being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility awaiting a detention hearing in state Superior Court.
Potential Decades Behind Bars Under State Sentencing Law
If convicted, Hammonds would face steep mandatory prison time. A first-degree attempted murder conviction carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years and falls under New Jersey's No Early Release Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2, meaning a defendant must serve at least 85% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole, according to the Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Associates LLC. The second-degree aggravated assault charge alone carries a potential five to 10 years in prison and is likewise subject to the same 85% mandatory minimum before parole eligibility, per the Keith Oliver Criminal Law firm.
The victim's survival depended in part on his transport to Cooper University Hospital, which operates South Jersey's only Level 1 Trauma Center and treats more than 3,500 trauma patients each year, according to Cooper University Health Care. The hospital also serves as the primary clinical teaching campus for Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
A Camden County Suburb
Lindenwold is a Camden County suburb.
