LAYTON, Utah, May 31, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A Layton woman is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly stabbing her husband in the back.
A probable cause statement from the 2nd District Court of Farmington said Telisa Janae Cooper, 40, is facing charges of:
- Attempted murder, a second-degree felony
- Domestic violence, a third-degree felony
- Unlawful detention, a class B misdemeanor
- Criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor
On Friday, Layton Police Department dispatch received a report of a stabbing that had occurred in the area of 964 E. 400 South.
“Dispatch advised the complainant stated their mom went psycho and stabbed dad,” the statement said. “Units responded and contacted the victim as well as the victim’s spouse, who was later identified as Telisa Cooper.”
Responding officers found that Cooper’s daughters, ages 15 and 16, were still on scene. Cooper told responding officers the knife used in the attack was in the backyard. Officers located a large kitchen knife on the back porch.
“Officers located the victim and found that the victim had what appeared to be a one- to a two-inch laceration on the upper right side of his back,” the statement said. “The victim was denying medical and did not want to be transported.”
The victim advised Cooper became upset “accusing them of things and began to scream and yell,” the statement said. “The victim said they went into the bathroom to let her get through the episode. The victim advised Telisa was outside of the door pounding on it. Investigators walked through the residence and observed several marks on the bathroom door consistent with marks made by a knife.”
The victim then said a short while later he heard screaming from their daughters and heard their daughter say: “Mom why do you have a knife?” the statement said. The victim said he came out of the bathroom and saw Cooper holding a kitchen knife. The victim said he tried to get their daughters to leave, then he glanced over their shoulder and saw Cooper coming at him quickly.
“The victim said they jumped in front of their daughters and felt Telisa hit them in the back,” the statement said. “The victim remembered hearing what they thought was the knife hitting the floor. The victim then ran outside to where their daughters were located already in a vehicle.”
The victim told officials Cooper started chasing the vehicle and that she may have slashed the tires. The victim said Cooper then told a neighbor to call 911.
“The victim later found out they had been stabbed and saw blood on their shirt,” the statement said.
One of the victim’s daughters was interviewed on the scene. The daughter said at approximately 9 p.m., Cooper grabbed a knife and chased the victim into the bathroom, still saying she wanted to kill him. The daughter said she went out to her car. She said that the victim and her sister came out and her sister said the victim had been stabbed. The daughter said when she drove off she found out her two passenger-side tires were flat.
Cooper was transported to Intermountain Medical Center to be checked out, then was interviewed by investigators.
“Post Miranda Telisa admitted to getting mad because she thought the victim was cheating on her,” the statement said “She admitted to chasing the victim into the bathroom and stabbing the outside of the bathroom door with the knife. Telisa told the victim if he came out she would use the knife on him. Telisa said the victim came out and pushed her. She said the victim then began to leave so she got him, with the knife. Telisa admitted got him meant she had stabbed him. Telisa showed investigators an overhead downward thrusting motion consistent with a stabbing motion.”
She also showed with her fingers how far she felt the knife had gone into the victim, the statement said. Cooper allegedly admitted to telling the victim she was going to kill him. She also allegedly admitted to slashing the car tires outside of the residence with the knife.
Cooper was transported to Davis County Jail, where she is being held without bail.
