Crime
Prosecutors reportedly said in court Friday that a witness saw the father and son playing soccer and discussing the World Cup prior to the stabbing.
Wellesley police bring James Floyd Bennett III into Dedham District Court on June 26, 2026, for his arraignment on one count of first-degree murder in his father’s fatal stabbing. David L Ryan/Boston Globe Staff
June 26, 2026 | 11:37 AM
2 minutes to read
A 24-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to stabbing his father to death on a Wellesley playground Thursday night.
James Floyd Bennett III was held without bail following his arraignment in Dedham District Court Friday on a single count of first-degree murder.
Many details about the alleged murder still remain unclear. According to prosecutors, Wellesley police responded to a 911 call requesting help at Phillips Park on Maugus Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday.
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Suspect in custody after man, 58, fatally stabbed in Wellesley park
There, officers found a 58-year-old man with an apparent stab wound. First responders rushed the man to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
While the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office did not identify the alleged victim in its initial statement or specify his relationship with James Floyd Bennett III, The Boston Globe has reported the man stabbed was Bennett’s father, James Floyd Bennett Jr.
According to the Globe, prosecutors said in court Friday that a witness saw the father and son playing soccer and discussing the World Cup before the elder Bennett screamed for help and said, “He’s stabbing me, he’s killing me.”
Prosecutors said James Floyd Bennett III ran home and showered, put the knife he allegedly used in the garbage, and took a photo of himself on his cellphone before going to the police station and turning himself in, the Globe reported.
James Floyd Bennett Jr. had about 20 stab wounds, according to the Globe. The younger Bennett’s attorney, William Crowe, told the court his client has a significant history of mental health issues, the newspaper reported.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Crowe reportedly said Bennett’s family has “lost two family members.”
“The family loves the fellow that was just charged in there, James the third, also known as ‘Trip,’” Crowe continued, according to the Globe. “They’re fully supportive of him. They feel terrible about what happened, and they’ll be continuing to support him.”
Norfolk Probate and Family Court records indicate the defendant’s parents went through protracted divorce proceedings beginning in 2011 and spanning nearly five years. James Floyd Bennett Jr.’s ex-wife later accused him of failing to pay child support and living expenses for their children as agreed upon in the divorce settlement, though a judge ultimately dismissed the complaint, court records show.
James Floyd Bennett III’s next court date is a probable cause hearing July 10.
Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.
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