Bellingham woman arrested for allegedly stabbing father to death Thursday
A 33-year-old Bellingham woman was arrested Thursday, April 23, for allegedly stabbing her father to death, according to a Friday morning Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Kali Marie McConnell was arrested at 8:48 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of first-degree murder, second-degree assault with other weapon and first-degree burglary.
Shortly before 10 p.m. on April 22, sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the 4700 block of Mission Road for the report of a man who had been stabbed. Deputies found a 57-year-old man who had suffered a life-threatening stab wound to the upper torso. He was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph’s hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery, according to the press release.
The man, whose name the sheriff’s office has not yet released, died Thursday around 5:40 p.m. at the hospital after succumbing to his injuries, the release states. An autopsy by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner is scheduled for Monday.
Detectives and crime scene investigators determined that the man’s daughter, who was identified as McConnell, and her male friend, later identified as 29-year-old Zachary I. Tellez of Ferndale, came to the Mission Road residence for a visit around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday. During the visit, an argument between Tellez and McConnell’s father began. McConnell also allegedly assaulted a 53-year-old woman who also lived at her father’s residence. McConnell allegedly punched the woman in the face, which knocked her tooth out, and then dragged her by her hair out of the residence and told her to leave, the press release states.
McConnell also allegedly stole the woman’s phone, then went back inside the residence and allegedly stabbed her father one time in the upper torso, according to the release.
Less than 10 minutes after they arrived, McConnell and Tellez left in a late model silver Cadillac sedan. Once McConnell and Tellez left, the female victim went back inside the residence and found McConnell’s father “in a pool of blood, asking for help and stating that his daughter had stabbed him,” the press release states.
The sheriff’s office started searching for McConnell and Tellez, and attempted to track the female victim’s stolen phone. Several areas of Whatcom County were checked, and a “watch-for” on the suspect vehicle was put out, but it was not located Wednesday evening.
On Thursday afternoon, Tellez was found in Whatcom County, and voluntarily came to the sheriff’s office where he was questioned about the incident. Tellez was later released, the press release states.
Around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, deputies and detectives were led to a residence in Arlington. With help from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, McConnell was arrested without incident and taken back to Whatcom County. The vehicle McConnell was driving was also found at the Arlington residence and was impounded to be searched later by the sheriff’s office, the release states.
During an interview with the sheriff’s office, McConnell allegedly admitted to stabbing her father during the argument.
The sheriff’s office is not looking for additional suspects, but there may be additional charges against people who have already been identified, according to Whatcom County Sheriff Chief Deputy of Investigations Kevin Hester.
Previous assault
McConnell was already scheduled to be arraigned May 1 on charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault (substantial bodily harm), second-degree theft and fourth-degree assault for an incident that occurred in mid-March, in which she allegedly went to the home of her ex-boyfriend and assaulted him and a female friend, Whatcom County Superior Court records show.
In that incident, Ferndale police officers were called at 9:12 p.m. March 19 to the report of a domestic assault after the man called to report that McConnell, his ex-girlfriend, had entered his home and assaulted both he and his female friend, court documents filed March 26 state.
Officers arrived to find both victims bleeding from their heads, according to documents.
The male victim told police that he and McConnell had recently ended a year-long relationship, and that McConnell had entered his home without permission and began punching the female victim, documents state.
The two women went outside, where McConnell continued to punch the female victim and pushed her to the ground, according to documents. The male victim said he attempted to intervene, but McConnell allegedly began punching him in the head.
The female victim dropped her iPhone, which McConnell picked up and left with it, documents state.
Ferndale police arrested McConnell March 20, and she was released March 22 on $5,000 bail.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 7:48 AM.
