Man fatally stabs woman

BOYERTOWN » A 23-year-old Boyertown man was arrested in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, state police said Friday.

Austin Miller was arrested on charges of first- and third-degree murder, aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime in the killing of Christina Blackburn, 23, Boyertown. According to court documents: About 8:20 a.m. Thursday, Miller argued with Blackburn at Miller’s residence in the first block of South Reading Avenue.

Police said Miller told them several versions of what happened

to Blackburn.

In his final version, Miller said that during the argument Blackburn picked up a knife from the floor and stabbed herself in the abdomen. The two struggled, with Miller trying to wrestle the knife from her.

Miller pushed Blackburn onto the bed, grabbed the knife and stabbed her in the neck.

Miller said he did not mean to stab Blackburn in the neck, but she was going to leave him again and he did not want her to leave.

Miller called 9-1-1 after the stabbing and tried to aid Blackburn until police arrived. Blackburn was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital, near Allentown.

Before Blackburn was taken to the hospital, police asked her who stabbed her and she replied, “Austin.”

Blackburn had multiple cuts and stab wounds to the neck.

Miller was taken to Reading Central Court for arraignment. Further arraignment information was unavailable.

Blackburn was pronounced dead at 9:51 a.m. Thursday at the hospital.

The death was ruled a homicide by Lehigh County Coroner Eric Minnich. The cause of death was sharp force trauma, he said.

State police from the Reading station are assisting Boyertown Police with the investigation.