SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WHBL) - The three people accused in a stabbing have been bound over for trial.
22-year-old Donovan Cotter pleaded not guilty to first degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon. 27-year-old Patrick Evans and 31-year-old Candace DeBlaey also pleaded not guilty to felony murder. Prosecutors the fatal stabbing of 38-year-old Phillip Spell happened because of a fight over a $40 drug debt.
District Attorney Joe DeCecco had to take some time explaining the felony murder charges in court, simply because it's not a crime that's charged very often. He told the judge and the courtroom that he's making this charge because Spell died while both DeBlaey and Evans were intending to get into the fight with Spell and assist Cotter. All three came armed to the confrontation.
According to the criminal complaint, police say that the three arrived at Spell's house on the 1200 block of St. Clair around 3 am on July 11th and got into a fight with Spell. It's then that Cotter allegedly stabbed Spell, and some of Spell's friends tried to break up the fight. Police say DeBlaey and Evans fled and came back in DeBlaey's van. She allegedly tried to run Spell's friends over, but ended up striking Cotter instead. Police say the three then fled to the Milwaukee area where they were picked up later in the day on Monday.
Spell was rushed to a Sheboygan Area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Reports indicate he was stabbed twice in the chest.