'Case Closed' on Blood-Soaked Woman

By Ron Fitzwater

Ashe County Sherriff's Deputies were able, through the assistance of an interpreter, to speak with Balmero

Juarez Olivera, one of the individuals involved in a mysterious knife assault incident late last month.

As previously reported, Sylvia Fonseca, 23, told ACSD detectives that she had awoke under the bridge near the intersection of Nettle Knob Road and Lower Nettle Knob Road, mid-morning Jan. 30, blood-soaked and with no memory as to how she got there. At the time, she told deputies when she woke up, she realized that she was covered in blood that wasn't hers and that she couldn't find her knife. Fonseca also initially stated that she had been at a methamphetamine party the night before and had blacked out.

Only a minor head injury was identified on the woman, but the amount of blood on her clothing and her statement prompted deputies and one North Carolina Highway Patrolman to begin a search of the immediate area for any additional individuals who might be involved or injured.

No one was found during the physical search, Olivera was received at Wilkes Regional Hospital in the early morning hours of Jan. 30 suffering from 'severe knife wounds' and was subsequently medivaced to [Wake Forest University] Baptist Medical Center.

ACSD detectives spent several days waiting for Olivera to be able to make a statement, however the wait turned out to be an exercise in futility, as he refused to cooperate or press any charges in the attack.

"He did not want to cooperate with us and was not forthcoming with any facts in the case. We knew many of the facts of what had happened based on other interviews and physical evidence and much of what he did tell us did not match up," said Ashe County Sheriff James Williams.

Based on Olivera's uncooperativeness, Williams said that they were left with little choice other than to declare the case closed and that no charges were going to be brought against any of the parties involved.