The death of Jacob Zieben-Hood, found stabbed in his Harlem apartment this summer, has now officially been ruled a homicide, intensifying the investigation and adding new weight to the charges already filed against his husband.
On Friday, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Jacob, 34, died from “multiple blunt and sharp force injuries” to his body, including his legs. The office also listed “acute alcohol and lorazepam intoxication and chronic alcohol use” as contributing factors in his death, reported The Daily Mail.
Jacob was found dead with stab wounds in his apartment on August 1. Charging documents indicate that one of the stab wounds was deep enough to penetrate muscle. His husband, Donald Zieben-Hood, was arrested the same day and later indicted on charges related to an assault against Jacob, though he hasn’t been charged directly for Jacob’s death.
Prosecutors have yet to charge anyone with murder in connection to the case. Although officials have been treating the death as a homicide, they cautioned that they were waiting for the results of the autopsy to move forward.
“As we’ve stated in court, this is an ongoing homicide investigation, and we won’t have any further update until the next court date,” said Rachel Best, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Donald, a New York model, faces serious charges, including two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault, two counts of aggravated criminal contempt, and eight counts of first-degree criminal contempt.
He also faces a charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Donald has pleaded not guilty to all charges, but his attorney has not responded to requests for comment regarding the case.
Before Jacob’s tragic death, Donald had been arrested multiple times for assaulting him, a troubling pattern that adds another layer to the investigation. Several of Jacob’s friends told NBC News that he seemed to grow increasingly isolated after meeting Donald about a decade ago, raising concerns about the dynamic in their relationship leading up to the fatal incident.