Son accused of stabbing parents, killing girlfriend pleads not guilty

A man accused of stabbing his parents during a family gathering at a Millis restaurant after stabbing his girlfriend to death inside their Needham apartment pleaded not guilty on Monday.

On Saturday evening, Millis police were called to Primavera restaurant on Pleasant Street for a stabbing. When police arrived, they found a dark-colored Jeep parked outside of the restaurant. The Jeep was not in a parking spot and was left running with the driver side door open.

Inside, police found several men holding down 24-year-old Benjamin Walsh in the back of the restaurant. Police say Walsh stormed into a family party and stabbed his parents, Mike and Laura Walsh, in the abdomen area.

MORE: Father stabbed by son says suspect was 'out of his mind'

Both were taken to the hospital for their injuries.

An officer went to retrieve leg restraints from his cruiser and was met by the restaurant owner who handed him an object wrapped in table cloth.

"Here you go. This was on the ground inside - it's the knife," said owner Jerry Gaita.

As officers took Walsh into custody he repeatedly yelled, "**** you *******. I'm going to kill you all."

Walsh sustained a small cut on his hand and was taken to Milford Hospital for a physical and psychological evaluation.

Witnesses police spoke with at the restaurant say Walsh came into the restaurant and confronted his mother. He made his way through the room holding a large knife and screaming profanities.

Several witnesses expressed concern for Walsh's girlfriend Olivia.

MORE: DA: Victim identified in Saturday's stabbing death in Needham

That's when police learned that the violence had begun miles away inside a Needham apartment. Police said Benjamin Walsh repeatedly stabbed his girlfriend, Olivia Bergstrom, inside the apartment that they rented together.

"Olivia was one of the nicest people you could possibly have," the landlord said. "They were paying the rent, taking care of the property, telling me how good of a neighborhood (it is)."

Co-workers tell Boston 25 News Bergstrom worked at Cocobeet juice bar on Central Street in Wellesley, but declined to comment any further.

They said emotions are still too raw and haven't spoken with the victim's family yet.

Bergstrom's family released a statement to Boston 25 News on Monday afternoon:

"Devastated does not even begin to describe how we feel about losing our Olivia. Olivia was a smart, vibrant, beautiful young woman with a bright future ahead of her. She was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. Olivia was a lover of animals who never met a horse she couldn't win over. She was passionate about living a healthy life. She had a dog named Scarlett. She loved her family fiercely.
Our hearts are broken at the thought of Olivia not being in our lives, taken from us and her future in a way we cannot comprehend. We know her spirit remains with us and we will do everything in our power to keep her memory alive and celebrate the short time we had the privilege of having her in our lives. We ask for our privacy and your respect at this time as our family begins the long journey of rebuilding our lives." – Paul Bergstrom, grandfather.

Mike Walsh told Boston 25 News his son openly struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues.

“I know she is not the person he would ever want to hurt, and Olivia is not a person he would ever want to hurt,” Mike Walsh said.

He said he thought they were the only ones injured until they learned Benjamin allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death before showing up at the restaurant.

“My son, my other son, called Needham police and asked them to check on Olivia, and we didn’t hear anything else,’ Mike Walsh said. “I think I was in the emergency room when I saw on television that there was a fatal stabbing in Needham, and that’s when I feared it was (Olivia).”

He also told Boston 25 News his wife is still in the hospital with serious injuries, but is expected to fully recover.

Walsh was arraigned from his hospital bed on Monday - where he pleaded not guilty to the murder of Bergstrom and the stabbing of his parents.

He was held without bail on the murder charge and is due to Dedham District Court on March 15.

Walsh was ordered held on $500,000 cash bail for the stabbing of his parents. He is due in Wrentham District Court on March 14 for a probable cause hearing for the charges of two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of resisting arrest.

Cox Media Group