Saugus stabbings a clash of cousins

SAUGUS – A police report outlining the events leading up to a double stabbing at a Saugus Commons apartment Monday show the attacks began after an argument over whether one of the suspects could temporarily live at the home.When police arrived at 74 Newhall Ave., #104, at about 1:50 p.m., they found two men with serious stab wounds, a pool of blood and two bloody knives in the kitchen.Mark Battista, 31, and Dante Piso, 32, who are cousins, allegedly stabbed each other after an argument escalated with Piso’s 37-year-old girlfriend, police said.Battista suffered life-threatening wounds after the attack and while his condition was later upgraded, he spent Monday night recovering at a local hospital. Piso, whose wounds were less serious, was treated and released from Melrose-Wakefield Hospital and spent the night in a Saugus police station jail cell.Both men were charged with assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Piso was ordered held on $1,500 cash bail during his arraignment Tuesday at Lynn District Court.According to a police report, the argument began when Piso’s girlfriend told Battista he could no longer temporarily live at her apartment.Battista and Piso were apparently homeless were sleeping at the girlfriend’s apartment since Saturday. The men agreed they would find another place to live by Monday, police said.Court records show Battista was out of work on disability and Piso is unemployed. Battista was also arrested at sister’s Indian Rock Drive home in January 2007 after he violated a restraining order by being at the home and was also charged with assault and possession of a class C drug. The charges were later dropped.Battista was arrested in January 1999 for kidnapping and assault in Lynn, but those charges were later dropped as well. He was arrested in January 2003 by Saugus police when they realized he had eight outstanding warrants from several different courts.At about 1:30 p.m. Monday, Piso’s girlfriend returned to the apartment from her job. At that point, she reminded Battista of their agreement that he vacates her home that day, police said.Battista allegedly told the woman he had no place to go and said he wasn’t going to leave. When she pressed the issue, he reportedly became irate.Police say after the woman took Battista’s personal belongings and threw them in the hallway outside of the apartment door, Battista began violently pushing her and she struck her head on the door.Then, from the kitchen, Piso began yelling at Battista, police said.Battista allegedly approached Piso as the argument escalated. Battista then allegedly took out a knife and began to lunge toward Piso. That’s when Piso grabbed a kitchen knife and went after his cousin as well, police said.Battista began to back away from Piso and ran down the hallway inside the apartment with Piso close behind, police said.The men began fighting in a bedroom, where the girlfriend found them wrestling on the bed, according to police.During the fight, Battista was stabbed in the back and Piso was stabbed in the chest.When police arrived a few minutes later, officers found one knife on top of a kitchen trash barrel and the other knife in the kitchen sink, police said.