Monday 26 September 2022 01:38 AM Son of news anchor killed in 'murder-suicide' tried to WRESTLE attacker off his ... trends now
The brother of the Michigan news anchor slain in alleged murder-suicide attempt by a 'family friend' said that his 10-year-old nephew suffered life-altering injuries as he attempted to fight off the man who attacked his family.
Police said WWJ950's overnight anchor, Jim Matthews, 57, invited a 'frequent visitor' to his Chesterfield Township home outside Detroit on Friday night.
Shortly thereafter, police were called to the residence, and found Matthews dead and his 35-year-old girlfriend, Nichole Guertin, seriously injured, having been stabbed multiple times.
When Guertin was discovered, she was bleeding severely and bound with duct tape in a nearby parking lot.
Matthews' son, Hunter, is in critical condition following brain and ear surgery after being being beaten and tied when he tried to fight his father's killer.
Speaking to WXYZ, the brother Jim Matthews, Joe Nicolai described the scene of the massacre as being 'not even something you'd see in a horror movie.'
News anchor Jim Matthews pictured with his girlfriend and the mother of his children, Nichole Guertin
Ten-year-old Hunter Matthews (left) and sister Rosie, 5 (right), were hospitalized following the murder of their father, WWJ950's overnight anchor Jim Matthews
Nicolai said of the suspect: 'There is no motive, I don't know why [the suspect] was in the house. I talked to the lead investigator, and my brother probably came home to this.'
He continued: 'He comes home about 5:30 in the morning and was probably surprised and attacked.'
Nicolai went on: 'I believe that Hunter the 10-year-old was trying to fight off this man that was attacking and trying to kill his father, and that’s how Hunter ended up injured and tied and put into a closet.'
Jim Matthews, also went by Jim Nicolai.
Hunter was found tied up in a closet suffering from head trauma. Police said the boy was brutalized after he tried fighting off the murderer, who is in the hospital and has yet to be named.
In his interview with WXYZ, Joe Nicolai said that his nephew may be scarred for life. During the incident, Hunter was attacked with a hammer.
Hunter was promptly hospitalized, where he underwent brain and ear surgery and is currently sedated as he 'goes through the biggest challenge he has yet to face,' his aunt, Ashley Quigley, said.
Quigley, who described the attack on her sister's family as 'vicious' and 'needless,' has started a GoFundMe page to support her family as she is also taking in her niece, Rosie, 5, who suffered less serious injuries in the incident.
In a separate interview with Fox2, Joe Nicolai spoke lovingly about his brother saying: 'He was very passionate about his kids, took care of his kids, a family man, he was just an awesome person.'
He also said: 'Just the children, my God, the children, scarred for life.'
Nicolai reiterated that he didn't know why the suspect was at his brother's home saying: 'I have no idea why he was there or what he was doing there or what business he had there.'
Matthews (above), 57, was killed and his girlfriend and their two kids injured in what police are calling a murder and attempted suicide after the anchor invited a 'family friend' inside
Hunter, pictured with mother Nichole Guertin and his sister, underwent brain and ear surgey after being beaten and tied in a closet when he tried to fight off his father's murderer
Guertin, Matthew's live-in girlfriend, was critically injured in the attack, cops said, after escaping the horrific scene with her and Matthews' daughter.
Stabbed multiple times and leaving her older child behind, the woman was able to escape the house with the young girl and flag down a driver to call police, despite reportedly being bound and gagged.
Upon arriving at the residence, authorities also found the 54-year-old male suspect, overdosing on heroin and suffering from self-inflicted wounds in the home's basement.
The suspect was then resuscitated by officials with the prescription narcotic Narcan, and was taken into police custody.
Chesterfield Police said the investigation was still ongoing.
Guertin and the kids survived the assaults, after escaping the horrific scene with the pair's other daughter, Rosie, who suffered less serious, unspecified injuries, cops said
The unnamed assailant remains hospitalized and is in stable condition, but faces a litany of charges for the assault - for which cops have yet to glean a motive.
Cops noted that the unidentified attacker had been an acquaintance of the family as well as frequent visitor of the residence, and had been invited inside the home before carrying out the attack, police said.
The sudden tragedy has since left locals and the Detroit news scene reeling as they mourn the late anchor, who spent nearly
