Russian-speaking men’s wrestling match ended in fatal stabbing to face, cops say

LAKEWOOD — Authorities have arrested a Russian-speaking man they say stabbed an acquaintance to death in the torso and face before calling the cops himself.

The altercation began with a wrestling match for bragging rights, and escalated, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Dmitrii Dorzhinov, 53, of Lakewood has been charged with the murder of Gela Suqiashvilli, 54, also of Lakewood. The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said the two wereacquaintances.

Police said Dorzhinov, speaking Russian, called them at 1:04 a.m., reporting a stabbing had occurred in an apartment at 149 East Kennedy Boulevard. When Lakewood police officers arrived, they knocked on the door and got no response inside, police said.

Officers then found Dorzhinov several doors down. Using their language line to speak with him, the officers learned he'd been involved in an altercation with the occupant of apartment 149, police said.

When the officers forced entry to the apartment, they found Suqiashvilli sitting on a chair unresponsive and suffering from multiple puncture and slash wounds to his upper torso and face, police said. Monoc Medic Unit 207 was immediately summoned to provide medical aid, but Suqiashvilli was pronounced dead 1:48 am, police said.

At police headquarters, Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Detective John Murphy and Lakewood Police Detective Oscar Valmon continued the investigation, with the help of Police Officer Tymur Zavalnyuk, who speaks Russian, police said.

According to the prosecutor's office, Dorzhinov and Suqiashvilli began to wrestle, which escalated and resulted in the stabbing. Dorzhinov then made the 911 call reporting the stabbing after leaving the residence, police said.

Dorzhinov has been charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. His bail was set at $1,000,000 cash.