James Floyd Bennett III is expected to face a judge after the Thursday evening attack.
WELLESLEY, Mass. — A 26-year-old Wellesley man was arrested after his 58-year-old father was fatally stabbed Thursday evening near Phillips Park, authorities said, sending police and state investigators to a playground area just before 6 p.m.
James Floyd Bennett III is expected to be arraigned Friday morning in Dedham District Court. Prosecutors had not disclosed the exact charges late Thursday. The victim’s name was not immediately released. Authorities said there was no continuing threat to the public as Wellesley police and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Norfolk district attorney’s office investigated.
Police responded shortly before 6 p.m. to a 911 call in the area of Phillips Park on Maugus Avenue and found the victim suffering from at least one stab wound. He was taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Law enforcement officials said Bennett was arrested in connection with the stabbing. A person with knowledge of the investigation said the victim was Bennett’s father and that Bennett turned himself in after the attack.
The park remained closed for hours as investigators worked near the playground. Crime scene tape surrounded parts of the area, and officers used lights while searching the scene. Residents told reporters they heard screams during the attack. Joe Levanto, who lives near the park, said police told him the suspect had surrendered. “Police said they got the guy,” Levanto said. “He turned himself in. That’s what they said to me.”
Phillips Park sits about a block from Washington Street and is known in the neighborhood as a place for children, families and local sports. Neighbors said the violence was far outside the normal feel of the area. One nearby resident said children often play there and people walk through the park daily. Levanto said the playground had long served families nearby, especially when there were games, picnics or preschool activities.
The stabbing is the second fatal domestic violence case reported in Wellesley in recent months. In April, Janette R. MacAusland, 49, was accused of strangling her two children, ages 6 and 7, in their Wellesley home. She faces double murder charges in that case. Officials have not released a motive in Thursday’s stabbing or said what led to the encounter at the park.
Bennett is scheduled to appear Friday morning in Dedham District Court. Investigators said the case remains active and ongoing. As of late Thursday, officials had not released the victim’s identity, the weapon involved or a detailed timeline of what happened before police received the 911 call.
Author note: Last updated June 26, 2026.