Dartmouth Man Gets 15 Years for Brutal Stabbing and Stalking of Ex-Girlfriend

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A Dartmouth man with a history of domestic violence will spend up to 15 years in state prison for stalking and assaulting his former girlfriend in both Dartmouth and New Bedford.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said Ryan Veenstra, 42, was sentenced on September 5 to 12 to 15 years in state prison for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, intimidation of a witness and stalking. The charges go as far back as October 7, 2022 and the incidents occurred in both Dartmouth and New Bedford.

Veenstra was convicted by a jury on August 21, 2025.

Details of the October 2022 Stabbing

On October 7, 2022, Dartmouth Police responded to the victim’s address for a reported stabbing, and arrived to find her with a slashing stab wound to her neck that was actively bleeding. Veenstra, who was the victim’s boyfriend at the time, was attempting to provide aid for her injury.

Police noticed Veenstra was extremely intoxicated and spoke over the victim when she was speaking with police. At first, the victim told police she was stabbed in the throat after a DoorDash delivery when she had to pull her car over. She did not give police details of a potential suspect.

Details of the October 2022 Stabbing

In January 2024, the victim was living in a domestic violence shelter and went to Dartmouth Police and reported what had actually occurred on October 7, 2022. She said she had arrived back home after delivering a DoorDash order and found Veenstra intoxicated. He accused her of stealing his phone.

“When the victim attempted to hand the defendant his phone, which was located on the dashboard of her vehicle, she felt a pinch on her neck and felt blood stream from that area,” the D.A.’s Office said. “The defendant acknowledged stabbing her and the victim observed the defendant to be wearing a pair of brass knuckles with a blade attached to them. The defendant told the victim that he would kill her if she told the police he had stabbed her.”

Veenstra then called 911 and concocted the story that a stranger had stabbed the victim. She had to get internal stitches to her neck, external staples, and suffered permanent nerve damage and scarring.

Pattern of Abuse and Harassment

She ended her relationship with Veenstra the next day, but over the next three months, he continuously called and texted her – sometimes up to 50 to 100 times per day – with both apologies and additional threats to her, her family and her friends.

When Veenstra was arrested for this assault back in January 2024, he also had four other outstanding warrants for charges including aggravated statutory rape, indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, threats to commit a crime, and operating under the influence of liquor (second offense).

READ MORE: New Bedford Man Arrested in Dartmouth Stabbing

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D.A. Quinn's Statement

"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,” D.A. Quinn said. “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.”