UPDATE | Restraining order was against man accused in Niles stabbing

NILES — Edward D. Anderson Jr, 20, who is charged with a Saturday killing and a serious stabbing of his girlfriend on Warren Avenue in Niles was ordered to stay away the woman Sept. 20.

But the Sept. 20 order was temporary. The woman didn't appear for the Sept. 27 hearing in Trumbull County Family Court to determine whether to make it permanent, so it expired.

Niles police identified the man who died in the 5 p.m. episode as Michael L. Tsarnas, 41, of Campbell, and the woman who was injured as Melissa R. Stroud, 19 of Campbell and Niles.

Anderson, of Warren Avenue and Cannon Street in Niles, was charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault in the case. He is in the Trumbull County jail in lieu of $2.2 million bond following his arraignment this morning in Niles Municipal Court. Not guilty pleas were entered for him.

Niles Police Chief Jay Holland said the dispute apparently stemmed from Anderson and Stroud having relationship issues and Tsarnas coming to Niles to help Stroud clean up and remove her belongings from the apartment she had shared with Anderson.

Anderson showed up at the apartment while Stroud and Tsarnas were there, and the argument and stabbings ensued, Holland said.

When police arrived, Tsarnas and Stroud had multiple stab wounds. and were taken to the hospital. Anderson was arrested without incident at the house and interviewed by police, Holland said.

Inside the courtroom, a man who sat with two women cried as he watched Anderson's arraignment. Anderson stood with litle emotion.

After the hearing, a woman who said she was Anderson's aunt told a reporter, "I know he did't do it maliciously. He's not a violent person. He was provoked." A second aunt said the stabbings said she was in dlsbelief that Anderson is charged with stabbing two people, saying "That's not Eddie."

But a protection order Stroud received from Trumbull County Family Court Sept. 20 said Anderson hit her on multiple occasions and included a photograph of her bruised face that Stroud told an advocate at a Warren domestic violence shelter Anderson inflicted Sept. 15.

Her petition said on Sept. 20, Anderson kept interrupting her sleep early that morning before she was supposed to go to school. Eventually he chased her out of the house, bit her and "dragged me out of the car by my ankles," which prompted neighbors to call 911.

A 7 a.m. Sept. 20 Niles police report says neighbors called 911 after seeing Anderson assaulting Stroud in the back yard. When police spoke to the couple, they said it was verbal only and they agreed to separate for the day.

She said during an argument Sept. 15, Anderson "shoved my head into a door frame," causing the black eye.

She said they had argued numerous times in the past two years of their relationship. In December 2017, he stole the keys to her car after giving her a concussion and destroying her car, Stroud said in the petition.