ELLSINORE — The charges against a Van Buren man, who is accused of hitting and stabbing his mother, are expected to be upgraded after she died of her injuries.
An autopsy completed Saturday on Kathryn Hall determined the Ellsinore woman died of blunt force trauma, officials report.
Officers still are completing follow-up interviews as of Monday, according to Ellsinore Police Chief Dustin Boyer.
“We’re still waiting on some final reports,” including the autopsy report, said Boyer, who expects a new probable-cause statement will be submitted for upgraded charges once those interviews and reports are completed.
The autopsy was completed by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Farmington.
“We did determine she died from blunt-force trauma,” said Carter County Coroner Eric McSpadden. “She did have that (stab) injury to her, but it was not fatal.”
Hall, 58, died Thursday morning at a St. Louis hospital, Boyer said.
Hall’s 27-year-old son, Dakota W. Taylor, is charged with the Class A felony of first-degree domestic assault, the Class E felony of unlawful use of a weapon and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action.
Taylor is charged in connection with an incident that occurred Dec. 10 at the senior apartments in Ellsinore, where Hall lived, Boyer said. The exact time of the alleged assault has not been released at this time.
Just before 7:10 p.m. that day, Boyer said, Carter County deputies were dispatched to Taylor’s rural Van Buren home.
When Deputy Curtis Robinett arrived, he met Taylor and two other men, according to Carter County Chief Deputy Justin Eudaley’s probable-cause statement.
“ … Mr. Taylor informed him (Deputy Robinett) he had done something bad to his mother,” Eudaley said. “(He) informed Deputy Robinett he had an altercation with his mother.”
Taylor told the deputy his mother had come at him with a knife, Eudaley said.
Eudaley said Taylor further reported he had “struck his mother with a baseball bat, and she had fallen on the knife.”
Taylor reportedly provided the deputy with his mother’s address at Ellsinore.
At about 7:40 p.m., Boyer said, he responded to Hall’s residence for what was described as a well-being check.
“Chief Boyer advised (Eudaley) he arrived and located Ms. Hall, and he asked (her) who did this, and she stated, ‘Dakota,’” the probable-cause said.
Hall identified “Dakota” as her son, Eudaley said.
Emergency-medical-services personnel had also responded to the scene.
Eudaley said he contacted Daryl Bequette Sr., an emergency-medical technician. Bequette reported finding Hall seated on the toilet of a restroom in her residence.
“Mr. Bequette stated he asked Ms. Hall if she had been stabbed, and (she) stated, ‘no,’” Eudaley said. “(He) advised … Ms. Hall stated he (Mr. Taylor) ‘cut her …’
“(He) stated Ms. Hall was very hard to understand due to her injuries.”
Hall sustained what was described as a stab wound, according to Eudaley, “mid sternum, approximately one and a half-inch long and one and one-half inch wide.”
Eudaley said Hall also suffered “severe head trauma to both sides of her head, and (her) right ear almost tore from her head.”
Carter County Sheriff Rick Stephens reportedly told Taylor of his rights.
“While en route to the hospital, in the ambulance, Mr. Taylor stated to Sheriff Stephens, ‘I killed my ------- mom,’” Eudaley said. “Mr. Taylor stated to Sheriff Stephens he took the knife from Ms. Hall and pointed it at her.
“Ms. Hall fell on the knife, so he struck her with the bat.”
Taylor, Eudaley said, further reported his mother had “wanted him out of her residence.”
After his arrest, Taylor was booked at the Wayne County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
On Wednesday, Taylor appeared before Associate Circuit Judge Steve Lynxwiler via a video link for arraignment on his charges.
Taylor, according to Casenet, was formally arraigned and a request for a reduction in his bond was denied.
A bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Taylor’s case.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Ellsinore Police Department, Carter County Sheriff’s Department or Missouri State Highway Patrol.