Taunton man on probation from previous case, sentenced to prison in Fall River for stabbing at business

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced that a 32-year-old man pled guilty in the Fall River Superior Court to Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon causing Serious Bodily Injury.

Danyel Battle, of Taunton was sentenced by the Honorable Raffi Yessayan to a State Prison sentence of 4 to 6 years. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catherine Sauter. The Commonwealth requested a State Prison sentence of 5 to 7 years, the defendant requested 3 to 5 years.  

On February 18, 2026, Taunton Police were dispatched to the Family Dollar Store for an injured male. 

Upon arrival, police located the victim, 43-year-old Michael Alifonso, suffering from a single stab wound to the chest.  The victim stated to police that he was stabbed by an unknown male at the K&M Body Shop in Taunton.  The victim lived above the body shop and occasionally did work at the shop.  The owner indicated that he was speaking to the victim when the defendant arrived to pick up an item.  Battle observed the victim and shop owner talking and at some point, threatened to stab the victim.  The owner observed the defendant take a step back and punch the victim.  Although the shop owner did not see the defendant with a knife, after being struck by Battle, the victim began to complain of being stabbed and was visibly bleeding.  A ring camera captured the incident and showed the defendant yelling “I stabbed him” after the owner asked what had happened.  A knife was not recovered.  The victim was transported for treatment and was found to have a deep penetrating wound to his chest which required medical intervention. 

At the time of the stabbing, Battle was on probation out of the Bristol County Superior Court for Domestic Assault and Malicious Damage to a Motor Vehicle.  He had previously served a 3-year state prison sentence on that case. 

“This defendant is a violent individual who stabbed the victim while on probation for another act of serious violence. He clearly can’t control his violent tendencies and needs to be kept off the street to protect the public,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.