When her boyfriend stabbed her in the neck, a Massachusetts woman feared telling the truth would cost her life. So she blamed a stranger.
Two years later, she returned to police with the real story: Ryan Veenstra — who already had restraining orders against him by seven different women — was her attacker.
Veenstra, 42, of Dartmouth, was sentenced in the Fall River Superior Court on Friday to serve a sentence of 12-15 years in prison for an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, intimidation of a witness and stalking. Veenstra was convicted after a jury trial on Aug. 21.
“I commend the victim for coming forward and testifying at trial. The defendant, at the time of the stabbing was on probation, and the court had previously issued 13 restraining orders against him involving seven different women. The lengthy sentence that was requested by my office and imposed by the Court is well deserved to protect the victim, her family, and the public from this defendant,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.
On Oct. 7, 2022, the woman, who was not named, arrived home after completing a Door Dash delivery. Her boyfriend, who officials said was intoxicated, accused her of stealing his phone.
When she attempted to hand him his phone, which was on the dashboard of her car, he stabbed her in the neck. She said she felt a pinch, noticed blood and saw that Veenstra was wearing brass knuckles with a blade attached.
Veenstra told the woman that he would kill her if she told the police he had stabbed her.
When she called 911, she told police she was stabbed in the throat by a stranger after a Door Dash delivery when she had to pull her car over. She did not provide details regarding a potential suspect to police.
Police noted Veenstra was on scene tending to the woman’s injury and that he appeared to be “extremely intoxicated.” He also spoke over the woman when she talked with the police.
The woman broke up with Veenstra the next day. However, he continued to text her.
The texts ranged from apologies to additional threats to the woman, her family and friends. He would sometimes send 50 to 100 texts per day.
In January 2024, the woman, who was living in a domestic violence shelter, went to the Dartmouth Police Department and reported Veenstra was the one who had stabbed her.
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