A Tisbury man is facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly attacked a woman with a knife Sunday.
Officers arrested Brandao Geraldo Alves Caldeira, 38, late Sunday evening after Tisbury police and state police were called to a home on Cook Road for a domestic incident, Tisbury police Chief Christopher Habekost wrote in a statement Monday morning.
Witnesses told police that Mr. Geraldo Alves Caldeira attacked his wife with a knife, held the knife to her face, and threatened to kill her and other people at the home, according to a Tisbury police report.
Police said when they arrived at the home the woman was covered in blood and semi-conscious. Officers had to separate Mr. Geraldo Alves Caldeira from her and it appeared she had a deep laceration or stab wound on the inside of her left arm, according to the report.
Neighbors said an argument broke out in the home over the couple’s relationship and Mr. Geraldo Alves Caldeira swung the knife at one of the neighbors, broke down a door and threatened to kill several people, police wrote.
Mr. Geraldo Alves Caldeira was arraigned on several charges in Edgartown District Court on Monday. They are attempted murder, assault and battery on a family or household member, threat to commit a crime, witness intimidation, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property.
As in all criminal cases, a plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of the defendant, and he was ordered by Judge Benjamin Barnes to be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Friday.
Judge Barnes' bail decision factored in Mr. Geraldo Alves Caldeira’s financial resources, the nature of the alleged crime, the potential penalty and his family ties, according to court documents.
Tisbury police Chief Christopher Habekost said the wife, 41, was brought to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital with serious injuries but was in stable condition on Monday morning.
This article appears in June 26, 2026.
Why did the Tisbury Police present this suspect in Edgartown Court before the presiding judge with a blood soaked shirt?
Seems to be a highly prejudicial action that not only undermines the presumption of innocence protections but also affects due process rights.
That was very, very sloppy police work.
And it gifted the suspect an appealable issue.
James, I agree that every defendant is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence. But I think you’re making assumptions that simply aren’t supported by the facts we know.
This wasn’t a jury trial. It was an arraignment following what police say was a violent domestic incident involving a seriously injured victim. The officers’ first priority was protecting the victim, securing the scene and taking the suspect into custody—not finding him a clean shirt. We don’t even know whether he was brought directly from the scene or had any opportunity to change clothes.
Calling it “very, very sloppy police work” seems premature without knowing those facts.
And the claim that it “gifted the suspect an appealable issue”? Really? An appeal requires more than the defendant appearing in bloodstained clothing at an arraignment. Judges are expected to base their decisions on the evidence and the law—not on the condition of someone’s clothing. Unless there’s evidence the police deliberately acted to prejudice the proceedings, that conclusion strikes me as a considerable stretch.
It’s just an arraigment, not a trial or jury selection. The TPD does not ‘present’ suspects in court, transports are handled by the Sheriff’s dept