Inset: Lena Deoliveira (Cass County Jail). Background: The 700 block of College Street North in Fargo, N.D., where Lena Deoliveira allegedly attempted to murder her boyfriend Jonathan Granados on Sept. 5, 2025 (Google Maps).
A woman in North Dakota stands accused of attempting to murder her boyfriend in his sleep with a hatchet. A witness described the incident as sounding like “splitting wood” as the girlfriend allegedly struck her boyfriend’s skull, according to police reports.
Lena Deoliveira, 23, faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault in Cass County following the attack on her boyfriend Jonathan Granados on Sept. 5. Local NBC affiliate KVLY reports that a man staying with the couple, who were all homeless and living in a detached garage in north Fargo, said Granados awoke screaming during the attack.
The charging documents, as reported by The Forum of Fargo-Moorehead, reveal that “[The witness] saw Lena swing down with the hatchet.” While the witness couldn’t see the exact point of impact due to obstructions, the sound resembled splitting wood, initially leading him to believe she might have hit the headrest or headboard.
Fargo Police indicate that the witness reported observing at least two strikes to Granados’ head. He approached to discover that “one or two of Johnny’s fingers were missing or ‘kind of hanging,'” as per the charging documents.
“He saw blood and a mark through Johnny’s skull,” police allege.
Deoliveira fled after the incident and was later found as the investigation unfolded, following the police being alerted to the scene. Granados received treatment at a local hospital for his injuries, which included severe lacerations to his head and hands, with his head bearing a significant slice, according to the charging documents.
Deoliveira was arrested later that Sunday without incident in Moorhead. She was being held on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 16 for her next hearing, The Forum reports.
