A horrific scene unfolded in a Mesa apartment last week when a mother and her two daughters were violently stabbed while asleep. The suspect, 22-year-old Lowell Tucker Dorn, is now facing charges of attempted second-degree murder after the attack on Sept. 17.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Dorn was described by a judge as a stranger to the victims, and it is believed he entered the home with the explicit intention to kill. There were no signs of forced entry, leading investigators to suspect an unlocked door may have provided Dorn access to the apartment. The victims, sustaining multiple stab wounds to the neck, face, arms, and legs, managed to fight back, with the youngest daughter waking to find Dorn atop her. The courageous family used a hammer to defend themselves, ultimately causing Dorn to flee the scene.
After leaving a trail of blood within the apartment complex, Dorn was later arrested in Tempe. "Although Dorn had very little contact with police previously, the Tempe Police Department had received several calls involving Dorn following the morning’s events," Mesa police said, as ABC 15 reported. All three victims were hospitalized but are expected to recover from this random and brutal assault.
During the court appearance, it was revealed that Dorn apparently suffers from mental illness and claimed to have been high on PCP during the time of the attack. "He also admitted that he has significant urges to hurt or kill people," the judge remarked, highlighting the random and ferocious nature of the crime, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The judge called Dorn "very, very dangerous" and emphasized the severity of the incident, stating that if circumstances had been slightly altered, the charges could have been for triple homicide.
The case continues to develop as the motive behind the attack remains unclear. Dorn's cash-only bond is set at $2 million, and, in light of the violent nature of the offenses, he remains a significant concern for public safety.
