Wayne County Man Charged with First-Degree Assault After Knife Attack on Neighbor
WAYNE COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) – A Wappapello man is facing serious charges after allegedly attacking his neighbor with a knife on the morning of January 13.
According to court records, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an assault just after 10 a.m. on Rock Ridge Road. Deputies found a woman with visible injuries, including a cut under her chin, blood on her shirt, and a defensive wound on her left hand between her thumb and index finger.
The victim identified the suspect as her neighbor, 65-year-old Robert D. Schuenemeyer, who resides in a camper on the same property. She told deputies she had entered the property’s shop to start her daily chores and encountered Schuenemeyer as she was leaving.
The victim reported that Schuenemeyer was standing on the shop’s porch, holding a knife in his right hand and another object in his left. He allegedly grabbed her, forced her back into the shop, and threatened her with the knife. She managed to push him away, causing him to fall onto the porch.
As she attempted to leave again, Schuenemeyer reportedly pushed her back inside, during which she believes she was injured by the knife. The victim stated that Schuenemeyer grabbed her a second time and told her he was going to kill her. She was able to push him off and escape to call law enforcement.
During the investigation, deputies located the knife inside Schuenemeyer’s camper on his bed. The knife reportedly had a clump of hair matching the victim’s hair color, as well as a drop of blood.
Schuenemeyer has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on February 11 at 9 a.m.
The incident remains under investigation, and authorities are emphasizing the seriousness of the charges and the prompt action of the victim in contacting law enforcement.
