Background: Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown, South Dakota, the location where the victim was brought (Google Maps). Inset: Melody Harless (Codington County Jail).
A South Dakota woman is facing charges of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her fiancé during an argument while packing boxes in their home.
The Watertown Police Department has identified the suspect as Melody Harless, who is also facing charges related to drug offenses and probation violations, according to jail records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The incident unfolded shortly after noon on Sunday at a residence located in the 3400 block of 13th Avenue Southwest in Watertown. Court documents, as reported by Sioux Falls Live, reveal that Harless and her fiancé were engaged in a heated argument while packing when the confrontation escalated physically.
During the altercation, Harless reportedly retrieved an 8- to 10-inch knife from a box in the kitchen and used it to stab her fiancé in the chest. The victim fell to the ground, informed Harless of his bleeding condition, and expressed the urgent need for medical attention.
At around 1:30 p.m., Watertown police received reports of a vehicle recklessly speeding through town, ignoring traffic signals. Harless was allegedly behind the wheel, and the victim reportedly experienced severe distress, describing a sensation of “everything closing in” and seeing white light.
Police were soon alerted by Prairie Lakes Hospital about a 30-year-old male who had been brought to the emergency room with a stab wound to his chest. Medical staff reported that he suffered from a collapsed lung and a stab wound on the upper left side of his chest.
Police said investigators learned that he had sustained the “serious, life-threatening injuries” while at home with his fiancee. They found Harless about 2 miles away and detained her. She allegedly admitted that she recently used meth, that her fiance was “stabbed by somebody,” and that she drove him to the hospital, Sioux Falls Live reported.
Harless was arrested and booked into the Codington County Detention Center. Though she was originally charged with first-degree attempted murder, court records show that charge was downgraded to second-degree attempted murder. She is being held on a $50,000 bond.
The victim’s current health status is unclear, but he was reportedly able to speak with investigators while in the hospital.
Watertown is located in eastern South Dakota, around 40 miles west of the state’s border with Minnesota.
