Man Pleads Not Guilty In Wife's Stabbing At East County Home

LEMON GROVE, CA — A man accused of fatally stabbing his wife at the couple's Lemon Grove home pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder.

Jay Barcelon, 31, is accused in the April 16 slaying of 30-year-old Rhona Barcelon at their home in the 2200 block of Dain Court.

Deputies responded to the home at about 7:30 p.m. that day for a report of "a domestic incident with a male and female reportedly arguing," said Lt. Thomas Seiver of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Seiver said deputies heard screaming inside the home and forced their way inside, where they found both Barcelon and his wife stabbed. Both were hospitalized, but Rhona Barcelon died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Jay Barcelon underwent surgery and was later arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into county jail last weekend.

It is unclear how he was stabbed, but Seiver said homicide detectives "concluded Jay stabbed Rhona while inside the residence."

Barcelon remains in custody without bail, though a bail review hearing was scheduled for next week.

— City News Service