Suspect in stabbing of Juneau woman ID’d; victim listed in fair condition

Updated | 12:03 p.m. Wednesday

Police have charged and identified Brent M. Sanders as the suspect in the assault of Rochelle Stevens and another woman early Tuesday morning.

According to a Juneau police news release, Sanders, 26, was arrested on a felony parole violation warrant related to two previous counts of third-degree assault.

Now police are seeking charges of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault in Tuesday’s incident.

Sanders is in Lemon Creek Correctional Center. No bail is set.

He is scheduled for an initial court appearance this afternoon.

Updated | 11:14 a.m. Wednesday

Alaska Native Medical Center spokeswoman Michelle Weston said Rochelle Stevens was in fair condition Wednesday morning in Anchorage.  

Original story | 5:48 p.m. Tuesday

A 37-year-old woman was medevaced to Anchorage after she was found with a knife in her head, and multiple stab wounds in her back in a Mendenhall Valley apartment.

Juneau police responded to a call about 1:35 a.m. Tuesday to a residence in the 1900 block of Cinema Drive, according to a news release. Police said the woman was attacked by a 26-year-old Juneau man.

Juneau police spokesman Lt. David Campbell said a second woman tried to intervene and the man punched her in the face. The male suspect fled the scene before police officers arrived.

Family friend Emily Carrillo set up a Go Fund Me page for the stabbing victim and identified her as Rochelle Stevens. Carrillo described it as a “domestic situation.”

Anchorage’s Alaska Native Medical Center confirmed that Rochelle Stevens was in surgery Tuesday afternoon, but did not have her status.

Carillo said on the fundraiser page that Stevens was stabbed eight times. Campbell said the woman was stabbed at least five times in the back with a folding pocket knife — and at least once in the head.

“She was talking and conscious and able to provide us with some statements, even though she had — a knife sticking out of the side of her head.”

Campbell says he couldn’t guess on the length of the blade.

“I’ve seen a lot of stuff in my 22 years and I’ve never seen that before,” Campbell said.

Both women were transported to Bartlett Regional Hospital. Only Stevens was medevaced to Anchorage.

The man returned to the apartment complex about 5:25 a.m., and residents on Cinema Drive called police. He was taken into custody. Authorities haven’t named him; he has not been formally charged. The investigation is ongoing.

Campbell said he could not say whether the incident was domestic violence related. Drugs and alcohol appear to be contributing factors.

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