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Man charged with murder, mutilation in R.I. home invasion

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A Providence, R.I. man is accused of killing a 26-year-old man and biting off the finger of the victim's mother during a struggle, before shooting her as well, reports WPRI.

The suspect, Dari Max Garcia, 24, also suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound during the encounter, according to WPRI. Victim Richard Catalano died at the scene.

Catalano's mother and Garcia both survived.

The Providence Journal reports that when North Providence police got to the scene, they found Catalano 's mother drenched in blood on the front porch, and Garcia was in an upstairs bedroom with Catalano's body.

He was arraigned Monday night at Rhode Island Hospital on a long list of charges, including first-degree murder, mutilation and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Several neighbors told WPRI that they heard the gunshots and saw the victim covered in blood.

"I saw a lady come out, she was covered in blood or what looked like blood, it was coming down her leg, she was screaming." said neighbor Juan Rios.

WPRI reports that Garcia has a "lengthy" criminal history, punctuated by an incident in February in which he was shot in the abdomen during an altercation with a police officer. He had just finished a two-year prison sentence for narcotics violations, and after the shooting he was charged with domestic assault and possession of heroin, among other charges.

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