New Bedford Man Gets Up to 16 Years in Prison for Fatal Stabbing

FALL RIVER — A New Bedford man will serve up to 16 years in state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the stabbing death of a Fall River man caused by a fight over a woman.

Nathan Silva, 26, was sentenced Monday to 13 to 16 years in prison on a voluntary manslaughter charge for fatally stabbing 25-year-old Jorge Vieira in January 2020.

According to police and the Bristol D.A.'s office, it started two years ago, during a gathering at a Bay Village apartment in Fall River where Jessica Brophy lived.

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Brophy had been seeing both men in intimate relationships for several years, the D.A.'s office noted.

Silva was at the get-together at Brophy's apartment when Vieira called her on the phone.

He then took the phone and exchanged heated text messages with Vieira.

The next morning at around 7 a.m., Vieira turned up in the parking lot and started yelling outside Brophy's window.

According to witnesses, Silva then went out to the parking lot, where they verbally argued before beginning a physical fight.

When Vieira got up, bleeding, Brophy told him, "you are leaking," according to the D.A.'s office.

The victim then called 911 from his car. He was pronounced dead at the hospital due to a fatal stab wound to his heart.

Silva was taken into custody at a Seekonk motel later that day.

At the time, Brophy was charged with obstruction of justice and was placed on probation for three years.

The D.A.'s office said she has since violated the terms of her probation, and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

"The killing of the victim in this case was truly a tragedy," Bristol D.A. Thomas Quinn said.

"It was made possible by the girlfriend of the defendant, enflaming the emotions of the both the defendant and the victim, which resulted in a fatal altercation," he added.

"My heart goes out to the victim’s family, and to the innocent family members on both sides who were deeply impacted by this incident."

The Fall River Police Department also expressed condolences to Vieira's family on the anniversary of his death.