Pocatello woman accused of stabbing victim 18 times, slashing another in the face

This article was first published at 11:25 a.m. Wednesday. It has been republished with additional information.

POCATELLO — A woman is accused of stabbing a mother and daughter over the weekend.

Marita Gonzales, 32, of Pocatello, was arrested and has been charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of aggravated battery, according to a statement posted on the Pocatello Police Department’s Facebook page. Her arrest is connected with a double stabbing that happened Sunday night near the 700 block of South Arthur Avenue, south of downtown.

RELATED | Pocatello police continuing search for suspect in double-stabbing of two women

Police said Gonzales was arrested on Tuesday at 9 p.m. and is being held in the Bannock County Jail.

A separate statement from police identifies the victims in the stabbing as Rajah Keller, 32, and Starla Keller, 49, both of Pocatello. The update says that Rajah suffered multiple stab wounds and Starla suffered a “large cut on the side of her face.”

“Officers began immediate medical aid, and the Pocatello Fire Department transported Rajah to Portneuf Medical Center,” the statement reads.

Starla described the person who stabbed her as “an unknown male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, with short hair, wearing a hat and a dark jacket,” police said.

“Starla Keller reported to officers seeing the unknown person with Rajah Keller, and when Starla Keller walked into the same area in the residence as the two, the unknown assailant walked past Starla Keller and stabbed her in the face. The unknown assailant left the residence,” the update reads.

Starla said, “I’m calling the police,” and the person with the knife ran south on Arthur Avenue.

An affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com reveals new details of how Starla recounted the incident for police.

Police say that when they entered the residence where the two victims were, they found Rajah “nude, covered in blood and suffering from approximately 18 stab wounds to her face, head, neck and hands.”

“Starla Keller sustained a significant laceration to her left cheek after attempting to intervene in the attack on her daughter,” the affidavit continues.

Starla told police she didn’t know who the suspect was, but that Rajah had met the person online.

It continues that, “Starla stated that on the night of the incident, Rajah had returned to the residence with the suspect. While Starla was in her bedroom, she heard a commotion in Rajah’s bedroom and, upon opening the door, witnessed the suspect stabbing Rajah with a knife. The suspect then cut Starla in the face using the edged weapon and fled the residence on foot.”

Due to the severity of her injuries, Rajah was transported via medical helicopter to the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Her condition was listed as stable as of Tuesday.

Starla was also transported to Portneuf Medical Center by ambulance, where she was treated and later released.

Police say they investigated the incident by canvassing the area, reviewing all available cellphone data and surveillance footage and interviewing multiple people.

“Over time, officers located a video and a photo of Rajah Keller with another person. Further follow-up identified the person with Rajah Keller as Marita Gonzales, a 32-year-old female of Pocatello. Search warrants were filed, and officers located items of evidentiary value at Marita Gonzales’ residence,” the update reads.

The affidavit says officers detained Gonzales at a residence on West Terry Street after they asked her if she was willing to speak with detectives about her relation to Rajah and refused.

“Due to the nature of the crime, description of the suspect provided from (Starla) and the time frame of which (Gonzales) to be with (Rajah) in relation to the crime, Gonzales was subsequently detained,” it says.

An officer who conducted a cursory search of Gonzales says he observed dried blood on her right ear. In another search at the police station, an officer says he found dried blood in her right pocket.

The police say Gonzales was advised of her Miranda rights and placed her under arrest.

Although Gonzales has been accused of committing this crime, doesn’t necessarily mean she did. Everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The post Pocatello woman accused of stabbing victim 18 times, slashing another in the face appeared first on East Idaho News.