PB woman, foster daughter stabbed

A Cape Girardeau man faces multiple felonies in connection with the Saturday stabbing of woman and her foster daughter.

Rosemary Durbin, 48, and her 13-year-old foster daughter were treated at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for injuries, “which were deemed serious, non-life threatening injuries,” Investigator Randle Huddleston wrote in his probable-cause statement.

Both received multiple sutures to close their wounds.

Their alleged attacker, Anthony Lee Dillion Allbritton, was to appear Monday before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for his initial arraignment.

The 26-year-old was charged Sunday with two Class A felonies of first-degree assault, two unclassified felonies of armed criminal action, the Class B felony of first-degree burglary and the Class E felony of unlawful use of a weapon.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Butler County Sheriff’s Department, which began at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when deputies were sent to a home on Meghan Lane.

Upon the deputies’ arrival, “they found that homeowner, Rosemary Durbin, and her 13-year-old foster child … had been stabbed/cut multiple times and were bleeding profusely from those injuries,” Huddleston said.

The teen, he said, had wounds to her back, neck area and arms.

Durbin had wounds to her head, arms, hands, fingers and neck, as well as her left eye was completely swollen shut, Huddleston said.

Both the juvenile and Durbin reported a white male, who they knew as Allbritton and who was dressed in black, with a mask covering his lower face, had assaulted them, Huddleston said.

Allbritton allegedly had been armed with two knives — a carving-style knife and a bread knife. Both reportedly were taken from the kitchen.

Huddleston said both Durbin and the teen were shown a photographic lineup and separately identified Allbritton as their alleged attacker.

In an interview with the teen, Huddleston said, she reported she and Durbin had left Saturday morning to attend church services.

“Upon returning home, she went to her bedroom to lie down, and upon entering her bedroom, she was attacked by A. Allbritton who stabbed her multiple times with one of the knives that he was holding,” Huddleston said.

The teen further reported she began yelling for help, and Durbin came into her room.

Durbin reportedly began fighting with Allbritton, who allegedly began cutting and stabbing her.

Huddleston said the teen ran out of the house to a next-door neighbor who called 911.

Allbritton, according to Chief Deputy Wes Popp, allegedly fled the scene at that time.

When Durbin was interviewed, Huddleston said, she provided an account similar to the teen.

Huddleston said Durbin reported entering the bedroom to see the teen “crying for help,” and “Allbritton on top of (the teen), holding two knives and cutting/stabbing her with them.

“Upon R. Durbin attempting to intervene to save (the teen), A. Allbritton began assaulting her by stabbing/cutting her to various parts of her body.”

While processing the scene, Huddleston said, blood was seen on the front porch and front door.

“Upon entering the residence, blood was observed in the foyer floor, down the hallway on the floor and walls and in the (teen’s) bedroom,” said Huddleston.

Two knives were found, one in the hallway floor at the entry way into the teen’s bedroom and the other inside the bedroom, Huddleston said.

“Both knives measured approximately 12 inches in length … had serrated edges, and both had blood on them,” Huddleston said. “One knife was a carving-style knife, and the other was a bread knife.”

During the investigation, Huddleston said, information was received indicating Allbritton was at a residence in the 400 block of Karen Drive.

Allbritton subsequently was arrested there and interviewed after being told of his rights.

Allbritton, Huddleston said, reported knowing Durbin, having been best friends with her son and having lived within the home for a short time about a year ago.

“A. Allbritton believed that his estranged wife, Sara Allbritton, was possibly there with the juvenile child, and he wanted to see her,” Huddleston said.

Allbritton’s estranged wife, Popp said, previously had resided at the home.

Allbritton, Huddleston said, admitted to driving from Cape Girardeau to Poplar Bluff on Friday and having someone drop him off close to the Durbin residence on Saturday because he knew Durbin would be at church.

“A. Allbritton then used a key that he had kept from when he lived there and entered the residence through the back door,” Huddleston said. “ … he began looking for ‘evidence’ on S. Allbritton.”

Allbritton reportedly was inside the home when Durbin and the teen returned home, and he “retreated to (the teen’s) bedroom and shut the door,” Huddleston said. “When (the teen) entered the bedroom, A. Allbritton grabbed her and a struggle ensued.”

Huddleston said Allbritton denied stabbing or cutting the teen, but “did admit to stabbing/cutting R. Durbin and using his thumb to gouge her left eye while struggling with her.

“(He) claimed that R. Durbin brought the knives into the bedroom and that he took them from her, which is how he obtained cuts on his hands.”

Popp said Allbritton had what he described as not a deep cut on the palm of his hand; the injury was not treated.

The clothing allegedly worn by Allbritton, as well as the key, were found and seized, Huddleston said.

Allbritton subsequently was booked at the Butler County jail, where he is being held without bond.