Surprise woman 'died' and came 'back to a world of suffering' after boyfriend stabbed her

A man who stabbed his girlfriend nearly 30 times in a Surprise home has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Raymond Maltos, 28, pled guilty to attempted murder and aggravated assault charges against his former girlfriend, Sophia Teng last month. Maltos was also sentenced on April 14 to five years probation for the aggravated assault.

At Maltos’ sentencing, tears were shed by both parties, and statements were made by family and friends of both Teng and Maltos. Teng herself, who briefly died and had to be brought back to life when she was en route to the hospital, addressed the court in a long, emotional statement.

“I died and was brought back to a world of immeasurable pain and suffering.”

Teng spoke of her new medical debt, job loss, permanent body complications, and fear throughout her statement. She asked Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Mandell to hand Maltos the harshest sentence.

While she spoke, her best friend held her hand, and the father of one of her friends kept a comforting hand on her shoulder. Maltos, in his orange jumpsuit, had to be handed tissues by his attorney and let his face fall into his hands as he cried.

The stabbing

On the evening of Feb. 6, 2022, Surprise Police responded to a call made by Maltos, who said that Teng was bleeding and had about 30 stab wounds. The dispatcher asked Maltos if he was the one who stabbed her, to which he replied, “They’ll see.”

After arriving at the home and coming in contact with Maltos, he hinted to officers why this incident happened.

“I just couldn’t stand her anymore,” he told them.

Arrest: Man arrested after admitting to stabbing girlfriend nearly to death in Surprise home

Inside the home, officers found Teng lying in a pool of her own blood, not moving, but conscious. She had multiple, deep stab wounds on her legs, head, and hand. Officers noted blood was all throughout the living room and that they found three kitchen knives and the handle of a small knife between the living room and the kitchen.

After deducting that Maltos was the one responsible for the incident, officers arrested Maltos.

Maltos agreed to tell police what led to the stabbing. He said that he went to visit Teng after his sales associate shift at Home Depot because she was stressed over a homework assignment. He said that her father has high expectations for her academics, which takes a toll on her.

In an attempt to comfort her with words of encouragement, Maltos said Tang received it negatively and asked him to leave. He did but came back to talk things out.

Maltos said they sat at a table and he rubbed her feet to try and make her feel better, but at one point she stood up and started belittling him. In response, Maltos said he told Teng that he did not understand why she was being so rude. Teng responded, “Boo hoo,” and started to mock him, Maltos told police.

At that moment, Maltos said, a violent rage took over, prompting him to go into the kitchen, grab a knife, and begin stabbing Teng in the back. In the process, he broke two kitchen knives and a personal knife before ending his rage. He told police he stopped stabbing her when she said “Babe, stop,” and began to provide aid by using blankets to apply pressure to her wounds.

However, according to Teng, the violence did not begin with the stabbing that night. And the events of that evening were described differently than what Maltos told police.

At the hospital, Teng told police that she asked Maltos twice to leave because she was stressed about a school assignment. He did leave and come back, but his reason was that he forgot his charger.

When she let him inside, Teng said, he began attacking her and repeatedly said “I’m going to kill you.”

Former Maricopa County prosecutor: April Sponsel gives training to police officers in Surprise

Maltos then smashed her head on the tile floor and dragged her into the kitchen by her hair, according to Teng. He then pulled out a personal knife that he always carried and began to stab her thigh saying, “I love you so much. Why would you do this to me?”

Teng said she asked him not to kill her, to which Maltos replied, “I need to.”

When she tried to crawl away from him, Teng said he pulled her into the kitchen again by her hair. He then grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter and continuously stabbed her, still repeating that he was going to kill her, she told police. At one point, the knife broke.

Maltos then started hitting her, at which point Teng said she fell in and out of consciousness.

Finally, Maltos “flipped a switch” and began apologizing, expressing his love, and being attentive to Teng and her injuries. Teng said he asked if she wanted him to call 911 or her mom. She said to call 911, before again falling in and out of consciousness.

Teng was pronounced dead on her way to the hospital, but medical personnel brought her back to life.

An emotional sentencing

Last week at Maltos’ sentencing, family and friends showed up for both Teng and Maltos.

Teng detailed the different types of physical, emotional, and psychological pain that she has experienced this past year which has been never-ending.

“Sophia is gone. She died and sometimes, I wish this new version died with her too.”

Teng said her time in the hospital was a personal hell.

“I went through surgery after surgery. I had groups of students, doctors, and nurses examine my naked body as if I were something to dissect and cut apart again.”

Her recovery has consisted of re-learning how to walk because of the wounds to her leg. Teng said she has experienced shame in trying to grasp something a toddler knows better to do than she does: learning to walk.

Additionally, a piece of one of the knives is permanently lodged into her neck, she said, and it sends nerve shocks multiple times a day. Teng also said that she has permanent nerve damage in her hands, chest, neck, head and legs. She also gets shocks if people hug or touch her in a certain way.

Because of this incident, Teng said she is unable to touch any type of knife or even be in the same room with someone who is using a knife while cooking. And when she sees a dark enough color of red, or red meat, her mind takes her back to the scene of the crime.

Now, Teng said that she has lost most of her personal relationships and has a severe distrust in others to the point where she is afraid that her brother or mother might attack her. She now sleeps with a weapon nearby.

Teng said Maltos has marked her emotionally, physically, and psychologically, with her scars as a constant reminder.

“When I look in the mirror, I see him.”

Maltos made a statement after family members of his commented on his character to the court. Right when he began speaking, Teng completely bent over in her chair and could be heard crying, never looking up while a friend lay a supportive hand on her back.

Wall Street Journal reporter arrest: Phoenix bank employee's 911 call adds to questions about role of race in journalist's detention

In a neutral, emotionless tone, Maltos apologized to Teng. However, his voice slightly broke when he specifically addressed Teng by her first name.

“Sophia, I want you to know there aren’t enough words to express to you how sorry I am for what I did,” he said, “I wish I could take it all back and erase it from your story, but I can’t.”

In speaking to her, he said he prays that Teng will be able to forget him and find the happiness that he was not able to provide her.

He also apologized to Teng’s mom, who earlier said in a statement that she saw him as her own son, and thanked her for her approval of his and Teng’s relationship. In addressing them, he said that he believes this incident had some form of purpose.

“I trust that my mistake was not purposeless and will be used by our God to bring your family closer together.”

Maltos then went into what he had been doing while in jail, such as completing anger management and domestic violence courses, and physical training to be a volunteer firefighter.

At the end of his statement, he addressed Teng once more.

“Remember that, in the end, this is my mistake to live with, not yours. Don’t allow it to interfere with the rest of your journey in this life to find what makes you happy.”

Maricopa County Superior Judge Michael Mandell thanked Maltos’ family for coming out and speaking about his nonviolent, caring, and religious character. However, Mandell said, he reminded them that overall, the court had to consider what he did to Teng.

Mandell told Maltos that had not medical personnel brought Teng back to life, he would be facing a potential life sentence instead of just years in prison.

This reporting follows crimes The Republic began to cover in 2021 and is part of our commitment to telling the story from start to finish.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Peoria man sentenced after attempted murder stabbing of girlfriend