A Harris County judge has set a $325,000 bond for Rafielle Andrews, 49, who faces charges of murder and aggravated assault after a harrowing incident that left one man dead and a woman injured last week. According to Click2Houston, Andrews allegedly stabbed both victims while holding a knife and a stuffed animal after they stopped their vehicles, having been flagged down by him.
Andrews's attack appears to have been random, the victims being motorists who happened to drive by. Holding a seven-inch-long kitchen knife, Andrews reportedly stood in the middle of the street, his acts of violence coming seemingly out of nowhere. "From what we know, these are just motorists driving along the street. They’re strangers to him. He doesn’t know them, they don’t know him. He approaches the car -- waving them down and when they stop to see what’s going on, he stabs them," Sgt. Sidney Miller of the Harris County Sheriff's Office told KHOU.
The female victim, after being stabbed in the torso, managed to drive away and is expected to survive her injuries. The male victim, despite being able to get to his house, collapsed in his driveway and died before he could receive assistance. As reported by authorities, Andrews, who was staying with his aunt in the area, does not seem to live there permanently.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they encountered Andrews who, clenching the weapon, refused to comply with their demands. He was ultimately subdued and arrested; officials used a Taser to bring him into compliance without further violence. Although Andrews has a record of prior offenses spanning more than two decades, including serious violent crimes, it's noted by law enforcement that he may also have a history of mental illness.
If Andrews can post bond, he will be subjected to 24-hour house arrest, as per court records. Collected information suggests that his criminal background includes multiple violent crimes, with charges ranging from assault causing bodily injury to injury to a child under 15, going as far back as 1999.
