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Stabbing Suspect’s Bond Set At $250,000

An attempted murder suspect accused of stabbing a Fayetteville woman several times over the weekend remained in jail Monday after his bond was set at $250,000, ...

An attempted murder suspect accused of stabbing a Fayetteville woman several times over the weekend remained in jail Monday after his bond was set at $250,000, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

After a short manhunt, Fayetteville police found a man they said stabbed a woman Sunday morning. The woman sustained life-threatening injuries, police said.

The manhunt ended late Sunday afternoon for Jessie Undre Ellis, 39. Ellis allegedly stabbed Dorothy Kelley, 29, multiple times around 9 a.m. at 797 N. Daisy Lane, said Sgt. Craig Stout with the Fayetteville Police Department. The victim was transported to Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville where she underwent surgery.

She remained Monday in critical condition, authorities said.

Ellis was booked Sunday night into the Washington County Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder, first-degree battery, endangering the welfare of a minor and theft by receiving. He has an arraignment set for Dec. 9 in Washington County Circuit Court.

According to several neighbors, Kelley has three children.

Next-door neighbor Joe Richardson said he saw Kelley's car pull into the house and 15 minutes later he heard chaos.

"Everybody was running through, cops with guns and everything. They brought her out bleeding and running out with the baby. Everything happened just that fast," Richardson said.

"Her head was bleeding, and her side was bloody," Richardson said.

Officer found Ellis's car unoccupied on Interstate 540 near the Johnson exit. Inside, officers found a large kitchen knife bent and covered in blood, according to a preliminary report from the Washington County Prosecutor's Office. When officers found Ellis, he denied stabbing Kelley or pointing a gun at her and her mother, the report states. Police said Ellis claimed self defense.

According to a police report, the victim's mother called authorities and said her ex-son-in-law was armed with a gun. When emergency responders arrived, they found Kelley laying in the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds, the report states.

Kelley's next-door neighbor who shares the duplex, Kevin Klien, wasn't home at the time of the stabbing.

"Makes me a little nervous, but it's just kind of shocking because you never think you're going to see a crime scene," Klien said. "I've met the woman a couple of times before and she was very harmless, very kind to us."

Michele Avery, who lives across the road, said she was worried about the victim's two small dogs. She ask an officer on scene if they needed anyone to care for them, and he said they were inside a kennel in the house.

Avery was also very concerned for Kelley.

"I hope that she's OK because I've heard there's children involved," Avery said.

Neighbors said they've seen the suspect in the victim's home, but hadn't seen him in the last two months. Stout said there is another victim involved. He said Kelley's mom was hit but wasn't hospitalized.

Officers found a pistol and a loaded magazine at the house on Daisy Lane and discovered it had been stolen during a burglary that happened in Fayetteville back in October, police said.

Stabbing Suspect’s Bond Set At $250,000

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