Two break-ins reported, one involving knife attack/Blackburn man apprehended by deputies on burglary charge, held in lieu of $50,000 cash bond

The Saline County Sheriff's Department responded to two incidents of burglary over the weekend, one involving an assault with a knife that resulted in injuries to the alleged assailant and to one victim.

On Saturday, July 28, the department was contacted by Sweet Springs Police Department in regard to a knife attack at a rural residence in Sweet Springs.

One resident told police she and her husband were asleep in the living room when something woke her up. She immediately noticed the front door of the residence was standing open and she woke her husband, the report stated.

They then heard a male voice say something and noticed the suspect was naked and standing at the head of the mattress they were laying on, the report said. The suspect was holding a knife in his right hand with the blade pointed towards the woman in a threatening manner.

The report said the suspect leaned over the bed and the woman's husband grabbed him and they started to fight. The woman got up and ran into the kitchen and got a knife, according to the report.

During the altercation, the husband and the assailant were injured, deputies said.

The husband was taken to I-70 Medical Center for treatment of injuries, police said. He was released and returned to his residence in the morning hours.

With the investigation underway, police followed a blood trail about 200 yards before losing track of it. The deputy on the case advised officers to check a residence in the area and they discovered a substantial amount of blood at the home.

A man with the description of the suspect was at Fitzgibbon Hospital seeking medical attention.

Christopher Fuehring, 25, of Blackburn, was interviewed at the hospital before being transported to University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia.

"He was taken down there before charges," Sheriff Wally George said.

A warrant was drawn up for the arrest on Saturday, July 28, with a $50,000 cash bond set.

George said he called University Police and asked them to detain Fuehring, but Fuehring had already been released.

George said they found Fuehring later that day at his house and he was served the warrant and apprehended.

"We thought he was hurt pretty bad but obviously he wasn't because they did not keep him very long," George said.

Fuehring faces charges of first degree assault, first degree burglary, indecent exposure and armed criminal action.

On Sunday, July 29, the sheriff's department was dispatched to 400 Cambridge in Gilliam for a burglary attempt incident.

At about 20 minutes to midnight, the department received a call from Breaktime in Slater. Daniel Bothel and his wife, Alicia, had left their residence after seeing several people in their home.

The report taken by the deputy said Alicia Bothel had work up Daniel Bothel and told him to turn on the lights. When he did, someone pushed against the bedroom door. The couple got dressed and ran out of the residence. Alicia stated that while they were leaving, she observed two men standing in another room with guns.

The deputy went to the residence and waited for two Missouri State Highway Patrol officers. The officers conducted a search and found negative results.

The deputy contacted the Bothels to return to the residence. Alicia showed the deputy where the men were standing. She stated they were wearing black masks and were holding something black and shiny, which she assumed were guns, the report stated.

Contact Rachel Harper at

marshallcity@socket.net