Anchorage police have arrested 73-year-old John Marshall Bagley and charged him with attempted murder, after they say he stabbed his wife Wednesday night over her pending divorce from him.
A verbal altercation inside their home on the 13000 block of Back Road escalated, and as Bagley’s wife tried to leave the house, police say he followed her outside.
A release from Anchorage police Thursday says she then slipped and fell on ice. Police say Bagley then stabbed her with a knife as she was lying on the ground.
APD spokesperson Jennifer Castro said Bagley had armed himself with the knife earlier inside the house.
Police say Bagley stabbed his wife multiple times before a neighbor walking by witnessed the stabbing stopped him. The neighbor was armed and fired a round into the air to get Bagley’s attention to stop the assault.
According to APD Lt. Anthony Henry, who responded to the scene, the warning shot "made the suspect stop his actions but not necessarily separate from the victim."
Henry said the neighbor then pushed Bagley off of the victim and then "separated the knife from her."
That's when, according to Henry, the neighbor "realized (Bagley) was also armed with a handgun, so he took that gun from him and took possession of that gun" before officers arrived and took custody of the suspect.
According to court documents, the witness told police Bagley "was in a rage" at the scene. When police interviewed Bagley, he said that his wife had said she was divorcing him, and had paid a lawyer a $5,000 retainer. In response, he grabbed a butcher knife and began to stab her, cutting his wife's hands when she tried to defend herself.
"Bagley stated he chased his wife through the back yard and into the driveway before stabbing her. While (she) lay on the ground she told him, 'I'll give you everything, just don't kill me,'" police wrote. "Bagley told police it was his intention to kill his wife."
After Bagley was subdued, medics then rushed in to help the victim. She was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical but stable condition Thursday.
Bagley was arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault.
Editor's note: The names of the wife and witness have been omitted from this story.
Channel 2's Chris Klint and Mallory Peebles contributed information to this story.
This is a developing story. Watch Channel 2 broadcasts and check KTUU.com for updates.