APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The suspect in a double stabbing pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect Wednesday.
Cornelius Pearson is suspected in the March 18 attack at the Richmond Street Inn. He faces five counts, including two of attempted homicide.
Defense attorney Dan Mitchell did not cite any specific reason for the so-called insanity plea.
Judge Emily Lonergan ordered a psychiatric exam.
No trial date was set. The case returns to court Sept. 17.
According to the criminal complaint, one of the victims told police the same thing she told FOX 11 after the attack. She said late in the night, Pearson knocked at their door asking to be let in so he could charge his phone. Her husband let Pearson in while she pretended to be asleep. The husband mentioned he thought he had seen Pearson in the area before. As Pearson was charging his phone, the victim said he began to comment on how nice and big their television was. Pearson also made comments about some rings belonging to the man, that were laid out.
The victim told police Pearson suddenly attacked her husband. As she tried to call 911, Pearson began attacking her. She said he stabbed her twice in the throat and grabbed the phone away. Pearson then allegedly went back to the husband, slashing his throat and causing life-threatening injuries. The victim got her husband’s phone and called 911. Pearson grabbed the phone away from her, picked up the rings and ran out the door. The victim said she then heard the couple’s car beeping, indicating Pearson might have taken their keys as well.
Police said they followed what appeared to be drops of blood into a nearby neighborhood. One person who lived on Lindbergh Street reported what he believed to be blood stains within his home. He said he was woken up by his dog growling, and smelled what appeared to be body odor, but did not see anyone. He also discovered that his wallet was missing.
The next morning, an officer found Pearson inside the garage of the home on Lindbergh Street. He told police he lived nearby and was checking on his neighbor, but gave two different addresses for his home. In Pearson’s pockets, police said they found cash, a key fob for the Richmond Street Inn victims’ car, a wallet from the Lindbergh Street house and a garage door opener. Police also found a blood-stained shirt and a bloody knife in the garage.
Police also determined that Pearson appeared to match a person seen on surveillance video trying to break into another nearby home overnight.
Fingerprints confirmed Pearson’s identity, and that he had recently been released on a signature bond in a separate case. One of the conditions of bond was that he commit no further crimes, so police arrested him on a probation violation.
Pearson has a history of incidents involving violence, Appleton police say.
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