newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Superior Court in Mays Landing Wednesday heard the story of a Good Samaritan from Wales who was knifed to death after trying to break up a fight while visiting friends in New Jersey.

Lavern Paul Ritch of Penarth, Wales was stabbed once through the heart when he went to the aid of a complete stranger who was being chased by a man with a knife.

The 37-year-old was pronounced dead an hour later.

According to philly.com, Robert Davies, 49, of North Wildwood, said he was defending himself during an alleged "gang-style" fight when he pulled a pocket knife from his waistband and plunged it into the chest of Ritch.

Davies was arrested over the murder but the case has taken four years to come to court.

According to police accounts, Ritch was on a two-week vacation that took him to visit friends in Cherry Hill. It was in the early hours of August 12, 2007 that the fight began near Maynards Café, a bar in the shore town of Margate.

Mail Online reports that the court was told the fight started when Davies racially insulted a Mexican man named Mario Chavez in the bar toilet, then chased him down the street with a knife in his jacket.

Chavez, now 26, testified that a tall white man questioned him about his ethnicity. Chavez left the bathroom and told the bar's cook what happened. The bouncers then escorted Davies out.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, Davies indicated Wednesday, that — while he was told to leave — he was not the man in the bathroom. A video released by Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel will prove that, Davies said. The video — supposedly of Davies — was actually of the other man, "who looks exactly like me."

Chavez allegedly came up behind Davies and punched him, leaving the man bleeding.

Chavez said he ran away from Davies and kept going. Davies claims he saw Chavez get together with several other friends — who where kitchen workers inside the bar — planning an assault on the "big white guy with the hat," according to the Press of Atlantic City.

Davies said Chavez ran, he ran and the "four Mexicans" chased him.

But William Merz, Atlantic County Assistant Prosecutor, said Chavez was walking away when Davies came after him, angered by the punch and reaching for something near his belt. Chavez ran, Davies pursued, and Ritch ran after to help.

Merz said Ritch was struck after saying he was trying to help. Davies said he never heard Ritch say anything.

Ritch ‘caught up with the defendant and said to him "Look, I'm just trying to help you." He held his hands up and that's the point when he [Davies] stabbed him, " said Merz.

Prior to his death Ritch had appeared as a contestant in the British adaptation of American Gladiators in 1998, making it to the quarter final round.

Ritch was listed in a 2002 poll of Britain's 50 most eligible bachelors by Company magazine and was named the 12th most eligible man in Wales that same year in a local newspaper.