Dispute leads to attempted murder charge

A 37-year-old Bloomington woman remains in critical condition at IU Health Bloomington Hospital after being stabbed in the torso three times early Wednesday
morning.

The woman’s alleged attacker, Kathleen A. Grubbs, 37, was arrested for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

She was booked into the Monroe County Jail at 10:50 a.m. A bond has not yet been set.

Police initially responded to a reported assault at Arlington Park Apartments on North Arlington Park Drive at 2:06 a.m., BPD Detective Sgt. John Kovach said. As officers were en route to the location, they were informed of a potential stabbing.

When officers arrived, Kovach said they were flagged down by a 38-year-old man, the victim’s husband, who was running down the stairs at the apartment building. He informed police the victim was upstairs, Kovach said.

When police went upstairs, Kovach said they observed the victim crying on the floor outside the door of an apartment. The victim then lifted her shirt to show officers her wounds.

As officers performed first aid on the victim, she told authorities Grubbs was still inside the apartment with the door locked.

The victim and Grubbs had been friends and neighbors for years, both Grubbs and the victim told Detective Randy Gehlhausen. Gehlhausen said the victim told him the two got in an argument a few weeks ago, but they never reported the incident to police.

Getting over the initial disagreement, the victim told Gehlhausen the two had spent all day together and had a great time.

The two friends, along with the victim’s husband, continued to hang out in Grubb’s apartment between 10 and 11 p.m. Tuesday, the victim told Gehlhausen.

Gehlhausen said the victim also told him she and her husband were having troubles with their marriage.

When the victim’s husband left the apartment to walk his and Grubbs’ dogs, Grubbs allegedly told the victim her husband did not want to be with her and wanted to be with Grubbs instead, Kovach said.

When the victim confronted her husband about what Grubbs had said, Kovach said he denied plans to leave her, saying Grubbs was jealous.

The victim and her husband then decided to confront Grubbs about what she had said, which Grubbs insisted was true.

The victim then demanded Grubbs return the carpet cleaner she had borrowed, and Grubbs went into her apartment, allegedly returning with a folding knife with a three- or four-inch blade.

Grubbs then allegedly slapped the victim before holding the blade to the victim’s throat, Gehlhausen said.

Gehlhausen said the victim’s husband then grabbed Grubbs’ arm and twisted it behind her back and pushed her into her apartment.

Before he could turn around, the man told Gehlhausen that Grubbs reached over him and began stabbing the victim with the knife.

The victim was stabbed twice in the upper right abdomen and once on her right side.
When the victim dropped to the ground outside the apartment’s door in the building’s common area, Gehlhausen said Grubbs slammed and locked the door before calling police.

Gehlhausen said the victim and her husband had consistent stories during interviews, although Gehlhausen said they did not have an opportunity to talk before the victim was transported to the hospital.

Grubbs, however, told police the victim tried attacking her first and used the weapon as self defense.

Gehlhausen said he last visited the victim at IU Health Bloomington Hospital at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, where she remained in critical condition.

Attempted murder is a Class A felony and assault with a deadly weapon is a Class C felony.