KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffWoman stabbed in home invasion in Hurst

Woman stabbed in home invasion in Hurst

By Julia Bruck - bio | email

HURST, IL (KFVS) - Police search for a suspect after a woman was hurt in a weekend stabbing and home invasion in Williamson County. 

Hurst police say they do not believe this is random, but believe the suspect targeted one of the residents at a home on South Park Street.

"Hopefully this never happens to anyone else because this is serious," said Samantha Sutherland.

It is what happened early Sunday morning that 20-year-old Samantha Sutherland says has her worried.  Sutherland calls a trailer on South Park Street home along with her mother and 20-year-old roommate Amanda Rathert.  Sutherland says she was at work late Saturday night at The Gallery in De Soto where she works as a dancer.  She says her roommate sent a text message for help about four in the morning.

"She texted me call 911," Sutherland said.

Sutherland says she rushed home to find Rathert's legs covered in blood.  She was taken to Memorial Hospital in Carbondale.  Soon after, Hurst police spoke with Rathert.

"She heard a knock at the door, there again the approximate time 4 or 4:30 in the morning.  She thought that maybe her roommate had forgotten her key," said Hurst Police Chief Ronald Harvel.

Instead, Chief Harvel says a man confronted Rathert looking for her roommate.

"He did obviously not ask for her by her real name, which leads me to believe he was a patron or had been familiar with her place of employment," Harvel said.

 Harvel says Rathert told the man her roommate was not home and closed the door.  However, police say the suspect did not leave.

"She stated that the black male was inside the residence coming down the hallway approaching her.  He took his hand, put it over her mouth and pushed her face down to the floor of the trailer," Harvel said.  

"They were struggling in the house then it happened right here (in front of the trailer) when she got cut," Sutherland said.

Sutherland says her friend received 13 stitches to her leg.

"Since the male knocked on her door and asked for by a specific name that they were a specific target," Harvel said.

If you know anything about this crime, you are asked to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-997-6541.

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