Georgetown Man Held Without Bail Following Wife’s Death

WHAV News Staff By |

Matthew Church, 33, of Georgetown was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Haverhill District Court.

A Georgetown man, accused of physically abusing his 31-year-old wife who later died, was ordered held without bail Wednesday afternoon.

Matthew Church, 33, of Georgetown was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Haverhill District Court on a charge of assault and battery on a household member following his arrest by Georgetown police Tuesday at 188 East Main St., Georgetown. According to Essex Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitella, an investigation was sparked by a telephone call Church made to his probation officer who, in turn, notified Georgetown police. Faitella told Judge Stephen S. Abany Church reported the victim fell and hit her chin on a sink after she had been drinking. However, police found the victim was not under the influence but did suffer other bruises to her arms, legs and back. She refused an emergency medical team’s suggestion to be hospitalized for concern of possible serious internal injury. Police found the victim dead during a return call.

“Police placed the defendant under arrest at that time when they were at the house and the victim refused medical attention. Her father had been contacted and he came from western (Massachusetts) to see her. When he arrived, he couldn’t get in, he contacted the police. When they went into the home around midnight, she was slumped on the floor against the bed and is deceased,” Faitella said.

Charges against Church could be upgraded pending the outcome of an autopsy. According to Faitella, police also checked the victim’s telephone text messages.

“The text messages on the victim’s phone indicated, ‘Okay if you stop beating me, my chest really hurts.’ The defendant’s response, ‘be nice, love.’ The victim then wrote, ‘You throw me around like a toy lately.’ And he indicated, ‘Oh yeah, you’re perfect. Thanks for the kicks. Please come home. I can’t,” Faitella said.

Faitella also said probable cause on the assault charge was demonstrated by a history of alleged abuse.

“All indications are this defendant has been physically abusing his wife. She is reluctant to tell as many are. That’s probable cause for the assault and battery charge that brings us here today,” Faitella said.

Carrie Kimball-Monahan, spokesperson for Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, told WHAV Church has been on probation in connection with an alleged assault case last April out of Gloucester, which in May was continued without a finding for 15 months. The couple recently moved to Georgetown. According to Kimball-Monahan, Church violated a probation order to not abuse the victim and to enter a batterer’s intervention program. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification.

A dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, pending appointment of a defense attorney.

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49 thoughts on “Georgetown Man Held Without Bail Following Wife’s Death”

  1. Why is this so covered up? Men should never hit women. Kate was probably fighting back from the beatings he gave her. The texts the police saw said “you are throwing me around like a toy lately” and “my chest really hurts”. What more do you need. There has been plenty of time for the autopsy. Her obituary was a farce. She died “peacefully”. No maybe with her chest crushed. How can you write such lies on her obituary when you don’t know what happened. She refused medical treatment and then the father comes and cannot get in and calls the cops and she is lying on the floor beside the bed. That is really “dying peacefully”. Admit he had a probation officer because of domestic abuse and he called him because he knew he was in trouble for whatever he did to her that night. Shame on all of you for lying and not admitting that maybe he was once her “soul mate”, but not anymore. He has been in jail all this time thank God. Kate is with God in heaven and Matthew will have to answer to him some day for what he has done.

    • You will also have to answer for the things you say, if that’s what you believe. For you to criticize the family for writing an obituary and grieving they way they need to. Kate wouldn’t want you writing.the things that you are. Take your judgements elsewhere.

  2. To all the domestic abusers out there: Yay you are free to kill your wife. Blame her for abuse to you (Really??????) Then have no services for those who LOVED HER. Post an Obituary that is so false. Wow! The system is really on your side

    • The celebration of life was private, sorry that offends you. You clearly have no empathy as to how Kate’s family is grieving. Your judgements are.uncalled. for.

  3. I really do believe that Kate’s obituary was shameful. How does anyone know she died peacefully? Why is the husband her soulmate when he was known for abusing her. Time will tell. He is in jail where he belongs. Kate was following the typical wife beater syndrome and hiding it from everyone. Whoever did her obituary did not do her justice. Lies, lies and more liies. May she rest in peace and I hope he is convicted of her murder.

    • The family ment she didn’t suffer, the corner verbally told the family as a sense of.comfort that she didn’t suffer. For you to criticize a family and the way they chose to honor they’re loved one in an obituary is cruel and.unusual.

  4. We did not know Kate but want her friends and family to know her ferrets are safe and in our permanent custody and will be loved and cared for the rest of their lives. They will always miss her

  5. Forget any services for Kate. The family has or will keep it private. COWARDS!!!! Her friends that loved her have no way to say goodbye. shame on her family!

    • You should be ashamed of yourself Joanie G these people are grieving the loss of their daughter and you’re complaining and saying that they’re cowards how dare you who made you God! How dare you say shame on the family shame on you these people need time to grieve and your words are probably hurting them more than you could ever know shame on you shame shame shame your the coward here not them.

    • The way families choose to grieve is very personal and.broad. For you to call them cowards is. very mean. Her father lost a child, I know kates her sister is amazing and she is trying her best, as we all are. Please direct your anger somewhere else

  6. I’m a friend from elementary school. I have some very happy memories of my friendship with her. While I hadn’t been in touch in a long time, I would love to honor her life in some way, so if arrangements are made I would love to hear of them either through this news source or the western mass papers. To her family and close friends, I’m sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace.

  7. Thank you for your wonderful insight to evolution of mankind. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SCIENCE What her friends are asking for is a chance to say goodbye. Wherever her soul will travel it should be recognized. Stop this ridiculous nonsense!!

  8. I don’t believe in god so I wont pray for Kate, instead I want to impart something to you that might make you feel better. Science shows us that every particle of matter from here to the end of the universe was at one time at an extreme dense and hot point that was smaller than the head of a pin. That means yourself, Kate, this planet, all the stars and galaxies, everything and everyone who has ever existed was at one time the same thing. When we die, our consciousness is ended and the energy kept in our body dissipates back into the universe, to be used again as another organism or perhaps to wait an interminable time underground. But one day, as this planet ends and if the universe does indeed go through a ‘big crunch’ at the end of its life, we will all be reunited again, closer to each other than we ever thought possible. So when you look up at the night sky and see all those massive furnaces in deep spaces burning wildly, remember that you’re looking at a part of you and her that you lost 14 billion years ago. Every photon of light is a part of us, we’re the product of stars forging complex elements inside of their massive bodies which then had to supernova so Earth could be pelted by everything beyond hydrogen and helium. The death of any person is a loss to us all for the very reasons I’ve outlined but know that one day in the future we’ll take the same walk back into the stars.

  9. Sweet Jesus, Embrace our beloved Kate into your kingdom. Her dear friends have been hoping to honor her in some way. Her family however, seems unresposive to respect our wishes for a service of closure. We wait…..we hope……..

    • It’s concerning that you expected the family to contact you when they probably don’t know you. The family owes you nothing, they are having to deal with the.loss of Kate, not.making everyone happy and make.sure they grieve sufficiently.

  10. So obviously you must have an ax to grind. Let’s talk legalities; was Kate on probation? Did she not complete a court mandated batterer’s program? Did she lie to her probation officer and say the scum was drunk and hit his chin on the kitchen sink? Did he beg her to stop beating him? This was empirical evidence submitted to the court. The fact that you defend a wife beater speaks to your character, and shows me the kind of abuse she had to endure. The batterer tries to make his victim feel like their at fault

  11. You hid your injuries well. How would we know your hurts when you concealed them. If we only knew our voices would scream out for you. Dear God give us the strength to get beyond this. We love you Kate

    • Is this a poem? Who are you talking to? I don’t even know where to begin with the statement “if we only knew our voices would scream out for you” just wwoooww

  12. Innocent until proven guilty and due process seem to be two terms forgotten here by some of the comments I’ve read. Nobody knows exactly what happened. Hopefully the autopsy results will tell the story. If she passed away from injuries due from his abuse then yes, punish him to the maximum allowed. If not, then at the very least he should do time for assault and battery. I will not cast the first stone right now and no one else should either. Just to be clear I have known both of them for 5 years and I am just as heartbroken as everyone else here. I just want to know what exactly happened.

    • So obvious to anyone with any sense. Please stop leaving comments. You are insulting this beautiful woman’s life. Where do I begin– her body was covered in bruises, does a healthy vibrant 31 year old suddenly pass away after a savage beating, and it is unrelated to the attack. It is this kind of denial that allowed Kate to die. He will get justice, and never be free again.

      • I have known both Matt and Kate for a very very long time. I am heartbroken by the news but I too will not cast the first stone. If justice needs to be served then so be it. I know both of them have struggled with substance abuse over the years and I am sure this played into all aspects of this case. Lets see the autopsy reports before we go condemning anyone.

        • Kate was beyond reproach, as the monster who attacked her tried to sully her good name, even after killing her, his supporters keep defending him. She was beaten to death by an animal, I only wish we still had the death penalty in Massachusetts

          • Sorry, but I am not a supporter of one or the other nor am I trying to sully one or the other. I have known them both for the better part of 15 years. Both of them struggled with substance abuse of legal and illegal flavors. I have seen this with my own eyes. I am defending neither of them. It is a sad story with a tragic ending. He full well could have beat her to death. Since I cannot confirm this with my own eyes I will wait for the coroners report to draw judgment. People are not perfect and neither were Matt or Kate. I have personally witnessed Kate in fits of rage that would beg one to question her sanity. I am sorry for your loss but there is a lot more to this situation than what is being reported here. But please, by all means, continue to badger and I will continue you to pour the information into a public forum.

          • I highly doubt you truly have had the delight of knowing Kate. You aren’t perfect I can.tell you that. Everyone has issues. For you to write that Kate was beyond reproach is fine, that’s your opinion, but.to write that on a public forum is.invasive and insensitive. This is a hard enough situation without your biased comment l, thanks

        • Why don’t you leave the displaying of.Kate.and.Matt’s dirty laundry to the courts, that’s their job, not yours.I think you have some laundry to do yourself.(stop putting their personal issues on a public forum and take.care.of your own problems) peace

      • You seem to be very affected by this, also sounds you may have been affected in some way by domestic violence for that I extend my sympathy. There are reasons the skin can bruise besides the alleged cause. People who have vitamin deficiencies as well as liver problems. I don’t think you have seen.the autopsy report or knew her.medical history, or even saw her corpse. Correct me if I am wrong.

    • I bet Kate would have really appreciated that, she thought a lot like you, it’s too.bad more people can’t be bothered to respect Kate and her memory.

  13. I am sorry your family is grieving, but so are all of her colleagues and students. It is a tragedy beyond words, so excuse us if we try to find some words to explain why that monster was allowed to torture and kill an angel.

  14. No one is telling anyone how to grieve, we are all grieving very much so and we are so happy she was loved by everyone who came in contact with her. She was an amazing human and nobody can deny that and we all appreciate the positive messages. However all we asking for is privacy and for her personal information not to be given out and for all the negative comments to please cease. I hope that anyone who ever has lost a loved one can understand we just want to honor our loved one privately, peacefully, and positively. Thank you to everyone who has shared their kind words.

  15. Please know our hearts are hurting for our fellow educator. How dare anyone try to tell us how to deal with our grief. We have a right to voice our sorrow. She was loved by students and staff.Her legacy will remain with us always

  17. I’m an immediate member of the family and i just want to say to those if you who have posted kind things about Kate, we appreciate it, however I would like to point out the article was not releasing her personal information out of respect for our family. Speaking for myself, I would really really appreciate all negative comments and personal information regarding her employment and personal life be left OFF the internet because it honestly isnt anyones business. Please respect our wishes and we would appreciate it if all comments pertaining to Kate could be deleted out of respect for our familes grieving process. We are all going through enough to have to deal with disrespectful and uneducated comments. All positive condolences can be forwarded to the family on a personal basis. Thank you.

    • I have know her for 6 years, we have been best of friends she was a beautiful friend. She was so talented at her work and she made everyone smile. She has never had a good thing to say about her family only that she loved them anyway. I hope they put him away for good. I am someone who loved her dearly and I miss her so much.
      .

      • For you to comment about her family in that ways shows that you were not very close to her. She wouldn’t want you to write that for the internet to see,especially after her death, that’s a really personal thing for her, shame on you.

    • Hello,
      First of all, I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to your family! The world truly lost a beautiful person. I understand and want to respect your wishes to maintain your privacy, but I was just wondering if there was going to be any services to honor her. I would love to attend if there are. Thank you so much! I am praying for you all during this tremendously tragic and sad time!

  18. Carol T

    My heart is broken. Everyone loved her especally her students. Every time she walked into the classroom her students couldn’t wait to go with her. She will live in our hearts forever.

  20. The system failed. Why wasn’t he in jail for failure to comply with the mandated batterer’s program? Why is it not mandatory for a battered woman to be removed from her place of attack, and checked out at a medical facility? Why are women still dying at the hands of men who use them as punching bags? The system colluded with the husband in her killing. The laws need to change to protect women and children, or at least enforce the ones we have.

  22. Cathy Karelas-September 4,2012
    I had the pleasure to know and work with Kate at the Webster School for a couple of years. She was the one of the best speech therapists, always smiling, happy and truly loved what she was doing. My heart is heavy thinking of what she had to go through, she will be missed.

  23. She was one of the best teachers I have ever known. All the children loved her dearly. She was a pleasure to work with and she helped me greatly my first year. She was always happy, smiling, laughing and working diligently for her school. She will be sorely missed by so many.

  24. His wife was one of the sweetest people I know. She was kind and always nice. She worked with special need children and was loved by everyone. The world lost a beautiful person.