Murder defendant denies murder charge in court

Devin R. Bryden of Northampton pleaded not guilty in Northampton District Court today to charges of murder and larceny of a vehicle in connection with the stabbing death of Jana M. Abromowitz, 21, in a Northampton residence over the weekend.

Bryden, 24, was held without bail by Northampton District Court Judge Jacklyn M. Connly. He was ordered to return to court for a pretrial conference on Aug. 10.

Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Joseph Webber handled the arraignment for the prosecution. Bryden was represented in court by defense attorney Jonah Goldsmith of the Committee for Public Counsel Services.

Bryden and Ms. Abromowitz had been roommates in a unit they shared at 11 Hatfield St. A friend of the victim called police around 6 p.m. Sunday when he discovered her dead in the apartment’s kitchen.

During the subsequent investigation, police found Bryden in the victim’s car in a parking lot in Westfield, and brought him back to Northampton for questioning, during which Bryden told police that he had stabbed the victim in order to take her car because he was going to become homeless soon.

The homicide remains under investigation by the Northampton Police Department and the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

The homicide is the first homicide in Hampshire County this year.

Criminal charges are based on probable cause to believe a person has committed a crime.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.