Police say a Middletown man was stabbed to death after he tried to help his neighbor when her son threatened her with a knife Friday. Pamela Jackson says she was barbecuing with her husband, Ray, at the David Moore Heights complex, when they were interrupted by the screams of their neighbor, Christine Judge. Police say 39-year-old Gilbert Judge, Jr. threatened his mother and her three adopted children with a knife.

Middletown police say Jackson grabbed an aluminum bat and confronted Judge, a scuffle followed and they fell to the ground. Jackson lay in the street with one of his four children and his wife while neighbors called 911. Jackson was taken to Orange Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy report Saturday revealed Jackson received four stab wounds from what police describe as a cutting knife with an 8-inch blade. Police say Judge has a history of mental problems and was released about four days ago from a hospital where he was in treatment. Judge had four previous arrests in New York, including sexual assault and assault with a weapon, police say.