What Really Happened: Bradford Stabbing Wednesday was a Drug Deal Gone Bad

Haverhill District Court. (WHAV News file photograph.)

Yesterday morning’s stabbing in Central Square now appears to be a drug deal gone bad.

Twenty-three-year-old Carson S. Hamilton, 30 Clydedale Ave., Haverhill, and 22-year-old Haley S. Thomas, of North Andover, were held without bail at their arraignment today before Haverhill District Court First Justice Cesar A. Archilla. They were charged after first responders found a 24-year-old homeless man “naked and bleeding in the street.” Police said the man was robbed of his wallet and punched, kicked and stabbed two or three times—in the left buttock and left leg after he tried to buy drugs in Central Square Bradford.

According to several different police reports and interviews, the man who was stabbed said during a hospital interview that he and his fiancée were walking toward McDonalds in Bradford. Hamilton called out from a parked car, demanded money and then reportedly “began to tackle” the man and a fight began around 11:15 a.m. Hamilton escaped with the wallet to the back seat of the car and shouted to driver Haley Thomas to drive off. The victim jumped into the car, pushing his thumb into Hamilton’s eye until the wallet was tossed outside. That’s when Thomas said she “poked” the man with a knife.

As various police reports detailed, the victim was then thrown from the car and removed his clothes to apply a “makeshift tourniquet” to his leg. The victim’s fiancée, however, told police different stories—one, that the fight began when they met Hamilton to buy $300 worth of marijuana and, the other, to buy fentanyl.

With the help of a witness who followed the car, Hamilton and Thomas were located a few minutes later at a Tremont Street home. Hamilton appeared to be having a “panic attack,” police said, and he was taken briefly to an area hospital

Trinity EMS and Haverhill Fire also responded. The victim and his fiancée were taken to Lawrence General Hospital.

Hamilton and Haley are scheduled to return to court for a hearing in a week.

It is WHAV’s policy not to list victims unless they make themselves known.

Comments are closed.