Model Donald Zieben-Hood indicted over alleged attacks on late husband, who told father he’d been ‘beat and sliced’

Male model Donald Zieben-Hood has been indicted by a New York grand jury over alleged attacks on his husband, Jacob Zieben-Hood, who was later discovered dead in their Harlem apartment with stab wounds. Donald has not been charged in Jacob’s death.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office says the indictment stems from three separate alleged incidents of intimate partner violence between February and August. Donald was taken into custody on August 1 after police found Jacob dead. One of the stab wounds, according to charging documents, went deep enough to penetrate muscle.

As of 3 October, no one has been charged with murder, and authorities have not named a suspect in Jacob’s death. The investigation is being treated as a homicide, though autopsy results were still pending as of Wednesday. The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Donald Zieben-Hood now faces a long list of charges

“Donald Zieben-Hood escalated his threatening conduct towards his husband in multiple acts of intimate partner violence over the course of a year,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

Donald now faces a long list of charges: two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault, two counts of aggravated criminal contempt, eight counts of first-degree criminal contempt, and one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer declined to comment.

The first alleged attack happened in February when Donald allegedly assaulted Jacob in their Harlem apartment. Prosecutors said Jacob “almost lost consciousness, and sustained swelling, substantial pain, and redness to his neck.” At the time, Donald had already been barred from the apartment by a full order of protection issued in November 2024.

Jacob reportedly contacted his father during an alleged assault

Following that incident, a second order of protection was issued in April, barring Donald from contacting Jacob in any way. In June, he was accused of threatening Jacob with a knife while saying, “I will attack you,” which led to a third protection order.

On July 31, Jacob reportedly contacted his father during an alleged assault, sending photographs showing “small cuts to his face and head”. Later that evening, he sent another image depicting his face “covered in blood from a large wound on his head, and the back of his leg, which had a large bleeding gash”. He informed his father that his husband “attacked, beat and sliced him”, according to prosecutors.

In the early hours of August 1, Donald called the police, claiming he had found Jacob dead on the toilet. Officers reported Jacob was “slumped over on the toilet with cuts and stab wounds to the back of his leg and a head wound,” while the apartment “had items strewn about with blood on the furniture, walls, floor, and counters.”

Donald was arrested at the scene and remains in custody at Rikers Island without bail.

Friends of Jacob told NBC News that he had become increasingly isolated since beginning his relationship with Donald about ten years ago.

Bragg urged anyone experiencing abuse to reach out: “If you or someone you know is being abused by a current of former partner, we encourage you to call us at 212-335-9373 where trained professionals can provide resources and help.”