By all indications Matthew Souvannavong had the almost perfect life after his mother Seng Si, married Michael Rosato Sr.
Matthew and Michael Sr’s son, Michael Jr. from his first marriage were the same age and became friends and true brothers over the years.
Matthew had been raised by Michael Sr. since the age of 7 and the families, despite cultural differences, became a true family.
Cindy Rosato, Michael’s sister-in-law recalls how she baby-sat for Matthew when Michael and Seng Si went on their honeymoon to Hawaii. “He was such a good boy – respectful and quiet,” remembered Cindy.
No one knew that almost a decade after they became a family, tragedy would strike with a night of violence.
Things had changed in the last two years of high school for Matthew, recalled Michael Jr.
The two brothers attended different high schools, Matthew living with Michael Sr. and Seng Si and Michael and his sister Chantel, living with their mother and her new husband, Les Fillingham. Both Michael and Chantel visited their father every other weekend.
Matthew, according to family members, reportedly was hanging out with the “wrong crowd”. Both boys had already graduated from high school, with Michael Jr. looking forward to college. Matthew, however, reportedly lost any ambition, was hanging around the house, smoking pot and dodged any desire for college and beyond.
Michael Sr. offered to pay for college for both his boys, but was becoming impatient with Matthew’s attitude, lack of ambition and attitude.
The father finally said enough was enough and kicked Matthew out of the family home.
The next day, on that warm August 11, 2009 morning, Matthew returned home after spending the night at his grandfather’s house on Norton Street in the City of Rochester, with his Laotian relatives and friends. Matthew arrived home just after 6:00 a.m. and his mother, Seng Si, had already left for work. His stepfather, Michael Sr., a computer technician, had been laid off from his job and had been looking for work.
No one could imagine what would happen next, but words were exchanged between Michael and Matthew. According to Matt, his stepfather began lecturing him about some recent behavior problems. “He was in my face, so I pulled out a swiss army knife from the right hip pocket of the cargo shorts to warn him,” recalled Matt. The incident escalated into a physical confrontation with Matthew stabbing his stepfather in the abdomen and cutting his neck in the melee.
“When I slashed my step-dad’s neck, that was what ended the fight and I was able to get out of the bathroom.” “I was horrified with the whole scene. There was a lot of blood. I left my step dad in the bathroom and I left the knife in there as well,” said Matthew in his statement to police.
Matthew fled the scene, leaving Michael in a pool of blood. He returned to his grandfathers home and reportedly kept to himself. He told police that he went into the garage and read his bible. “I didn’t tell anybody or call anybody,” recalled Matthew.
A family friend found Michael Rosato Sr. and called 911. One of the responding troopers recalled watching Rosato being brought back to life on the table at Newark Wayne three times, before being transferred by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital. There he underwent surgery with the doctors concerned about the amount of blood he had lost. “The amount of blood loss was unbelievable,” recalled the trooper. At the time doctors and police said that it was touch and go, whether or not Rosato was going to live.
Matthew Souvannavong was taken into custody in the City of Rochester at his grandfather’s house and arrested at 10:30 a.m. He was charged with Assault in the first degree and remanded to jail.
Souvannavong pled guilty to Assault in the Fist Degree. He was sentenced to 10 years in State Prison, with a 5 year post-release parole. At Matthew’s sentencing, Michael Rosato Sr. said that is was in God’s hands what would happen to his stepson. “If you talk to the brothers, they are angry. Their brother will never be the same,” added Cindy Rosato after the sentencing.
The Rosato family still believes Matt, armed with the knife, intended to bring the dispute to an end. He reportedly had been partying with family and friends in Rochester the night before the attack. Even today, both Michael Jr. and Chantel become emotional when talking about their father and the night of the attack.
Seng Si continued to work and support her husband along with daily aides and rehabilitation therapists. The Rosoto family, including his former wife, children and family spent months at the hospital, while Michael Sr. fought to live.
“They said he should have gotten his eyesight back within 6 months, but that just hasn’t happened, but he remains positive,” said Cindy. At the time she said it was hard for her and Michael’s brothers and family to see the once sports-oriented, most competitive member of the family, in such a condition. She reported that Michael’s faith in God has kept him on a driven path.
Michael Rosato Sr. was left blind, has trouble talking and can not walk without assistance. He is resigned to a life mostly in a wheelchair and has suffered strokes.
In 2010, according to then Wayne County District Attorney Rick Healy, his office had recommended a 20 year sentence. “He could have gotten a youthful offender status and served no jail time” said Healy following the sentencing. The two sides of the family were torn over the 10 year sentence. “This was a no win situation for everybody” said Healy.
That same, strong religious faith brought Michael Sr. at peace with the incident and his condition today. “He deals with the situation, but has no quality of life,” said Chantel. Michael Sr. and Seng Si are still together and residing in the Town of Victor.
Matthew’s mother, Seng Si, drove every other Saturday to Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County, sometimes with Michael Sr. sitting in the car, waiting while she visited with her son, according to family.
Matthew Souvannavong, now age 27, was released from Midstate Prison on Thursday (March 1st), after serving eight years behind bars. He was released to Monroe County and will be residing with his Laotian relatives in Rochester. Rerports having him living with his mother’s sister.
While in prison, records show Matt chalked up a four, ‘tickets’ once for creating a disturbance, two for disobeying a direct order from guards and one for damaging property.
The Rosato family is still reliving that August 2009 morning and life with a Michael Rosato Sr’s. condition. They were shocked to learn of Matt’s early release and angry they were never notified, but admitted they knew it would come eventually. “I’m a littler scared. Is this kid a nut job?”, said Gina Fillingham.
The Rosato side of the family has had no contact with Matthew and no plans to ever see him again.
Matthew Souvannavong could not be reached for comment.
The post A family torn by a tragedy from 2009 appeared first on Times of Wayne County.