PHOENIX - An Indiana man is accused of tracking his estranged wife to Phoenix, where he surveilled and attacked her, stabbing her in the eye.
Phoenix police report that on Saturday, 43-year-old Shawn Terry Spink attacked the victim in north Phoenix, beating her, stabbing her and using trash bags to attempt to suffocate her.
Police say Spink tracked the victim to Phoenix after she left Indianapolis to escape from him.
He reportedly told police that he had been watching her at her apartment, near 35th Avenue and Carefree Highway, for two weeks before the attack.
He befriended other residents at the complex and even researched "bird watching" to explain why he was using binoculars.
On the morning of the attack, Spink reportedly saw his estranged wife leave her apartment, approached her, and sprayed her in the face with RAID, forcing her back into her home.
There, he attacked the victim, stabbing her in the eye and using duct tape to wrap her head with a plastic bag. During the assault, Spink threatened to kill the victim, saying he had been "studying how to kill her."
The woman managed to rip open the bag before suffocating.
After the attack, she convinced Spink that they should leave the apartment.
Spink agreed to get her something to eat, and when they approached a restaurant with a large group of people, the woman jumped out of the car.
Spink left in the stolen car and was located in Black Canyon City a couple of hours later, where he was arrested. He was found with the knife used in the attack, which police say was a wedding present from the victim and personally engraved.
Spink remains in a Yavapai County Jail on a $250,000 and has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic or sexual violence, there are several local and national organizations offering resources. Anyone in need of immediate assistance should contact either the Maricopa County Shelter Line at 480-890-3039, the National 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence at 602-279-2900. A number of organizations are available 24 hours a day for anyone at risk of experiencing domestic or sexual violence. See a directory of domestic violence programs here.
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