SANTA CRUZ — An Aptos woman who allegedly stabbed her husband to death on Aug. 24 made her first court appearance Wednesday, but delayed entering a plea because she has not yet retained a private attorney.
Amanda Montero Owens, 51, will return to court for her continued arraignment Friday.
Owens is accused of murder and using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. She is in custody at Santa Cruz County Jail on $1 million bail.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the couple’s residence on the 100 block of Victoria Lane at 12:55 p.m. for a report of a stabbing.
Owens’ family declined to answer questions outside court.
Owens
It is unclear what led to the incident. Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Jason Gill said that is started with a typical domestic disagreement.
“This started off as a verbal confrontation, dealing with things that most married couples in modern society deal with,” he said. “Finances, issues of raiding children, things like that. Unfortunately for Mr. Owens, it escalated to the point where Mr. Owens was killed.”
When they arrived they found 63-year-old Thomas Owens suffering from several stab wounds. Paramedics treated him, but he died at the scene, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dee Baldwin said.
Gill said the weapon – a long Henkel carving knife – entered near Owens’ collarbone, went in about six inches and then punctured his lung. The knife also severed his carotid artery and another major vein.
Gill praised Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s investigators, who he said have been working on the case since they were called to the residence on the 100 block of Victoria Lane in the upscale Meadow Ranch housing project.
“They have done an outstanding job,” he said. “Ever since then they have been continually working, continually speaking with witnesses, continually interviewing witnesses in order to give us a complete picture.”
