SCRANTON, Pa. (TCN) — A man is in custody after allegedly smoking PCP and then killing two women and a service dog in a brutal machete attack. A third woman was seriously injured.
On Dec. 9, Linda Fortuna, 61, and Terry Muller, 59, were stabbed to death on the sixth floor of their apartment building along with Muller’s golden retriever service dog Nayla, WNEP reports. Marilyn Waller, 66, was also severely injured in the stabbing.
The suspect, Michael Woods, 38, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of criminal homicide, one count of attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of cruelty to animals.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by WVIA, Woods’ motive remains unknown, but he reportedly told police he smoked the hallucinogenic drug PCP on the day of the attack.
Police arrived at the apartment building after callers reported screaming in the hallways and a man armed with a machete. One of the callers identified herself as a victim, WVIA reports. Responding officers reportedly encountered Woods at an intersection outside the building and ordered him to drop the machete. He had blood on his clothing and allegedly made the statement that he had smoked PCP.
Inside the building, officers found Fortuna bleeding next to an elevator, and Muller severely wounded and unresponsive in her apartment along with her deceased service dog. Fortuna and Muller were pronounced dead at the hospital, WVIA reports. Waller’s hand was nearly severed, and she was bleeding from a chest wound. She was able to answer the door when police arrived and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher called the attacks “pure evil,” WVIA reports.
WNEP reports Woods remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 23.
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