Manchester man found guilty of attempted first-degree murder of homeless woman

Dec. 20—A Hillsborough County jury has found a Manchester man guilty of attempted first-degree murder, despite the lack of any testimony from his victim, authorities said.

The woman, who is homeless, refused to play any part in the case.

She could not be located to be subpoenaed, according to prosecutors in the office of Hillsborough County Attorney John Coughlin.

But footage from surveillance cameras and the testimony of an eyewitness led to the conviction of Johan Geovanny Rosario, 19, on Monday in Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester.

Rosario stabbed the woman five times on Dec. 17, 2021, behind 168 Merrimack St. She suffered a punctured lung.

"Here, we sought to hold accountable a man who viciously attacked a vulnerable victim, in this case a homeless woman," said Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Mark Ryder, who prosecuted the case. "Just because she's homeless doesn't mean she's not entitled to justice like anyone else in the city."

Manchester police built a case and arrested Rosario within 19 hours of the attack, Ryder stressed.

Rosario did not take the stand in his defense. Ryder said authorities have no solid explanation for why he attacked the woman.

But according to earlier court records, Rosario had assaulted the woman before the stabbing and had demanded that she give him money.

Ryder said a judge has not yet scheduled a sentencing hearing for Rosario, but they typically take place within 60 days of a verdict.

State law calls for a maximum penalty of life in prison, with the possibility of parole, for attempted first-degree murder.