NEW BEDFORD — A Mattapoisett woman previously charged in the Tuesday, Aug. 20 homicide of a New Bedford man has now been charged with murder.

Nina Busnengo, 31, is alleged to have kicked and stomped the head of 58-year-old Stephen Oswald, who died outside a Seabra Foods supermarket in New Bedford. She was originally charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. 

A new criminal complaint charging Busnengo with murder was filed Thursday, Aug. 29 in New Bedford District Court, according to the office of the Bristol County District Attorney.

Busnengo was ordered held without bail, the office of the Bristol County District Attorney said.

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, New Bedford Police and Homicide Unit prosecutors are continuing to investigate the homicide, the Bristol County District Attorney’s office said.

After being arrested Tuesday, Aug. 20, Busnengo told police she kicked Oswald in the head multiple times and stomped him, after becoming aggravated that Oswald was sleeping with her blanket behind a car wash, according to court records. 

Busnengo said she previously stayed at the car wash — located near Seabra Foods where Oswald later died —  and had left her belongings there, according to court records.

Busnengo’s address listed on the criminal complaint is in Mattapoisett.

Upon returning, Busnengo found Oswald sleeping with a blanket that belonged to her, kicked him in the head twice, then took the blanket and left, according to court records.

Busnengo further later told police she had grabbed the blanket, became mad, stepped on Oswald’s head and stared at him, then left, court records said.

New Bedford police received a 911 call at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Aug. 20 for a male with an injury at 41 Rockdale Avenue in front of Seabra Foods. First responders found Oswald suffering an apparent head injury, and New Bedford EMS medics pronounced him dead at 3:56 a.m., according to the office of the Bristol County District Attorney.

Busnengo said she took Oswald’s phone, according to court records. 

She was also initially charged with unarmed robbery.

A pretrial hearing on the status of the case is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26.