A 49-year-old man from Park Rapids was stabbed between eight and ten times by a former neighbor in what investigators are calling a violent, targeted attack, according to the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say 44-year-old Charles Justus of Park Rapids faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree attempted murder, second-degree unpremeditated murder, first-degree assault, and first-degree assault causing great bodily harm. His wife, 50-year-old Danielle R. Westphal, has also been charged with four felony counts as an accomplice.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:35 a.m. on October 4 from residents in Piney Park, located south of Park Rapids in Straight River Township. Callers reported hearing an adult man and a child “screaming for help” and “pounding on the doors of neighboring residences.”
When deputies arrived, they found David Kerr, 49, lying on his side outside one of the homes. He was bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds to his left arm, upper back, and right abdomen. Kerr’s five-year-old daughter was nearby and unharmed.
Kerr told deputies that a man had entered his home through an unlocked door and attacked him with a sharp object while he was inside with his daughter. He described the suspect as a former neighbor with several tattoos. Kerr’s mother later identified the suspect as Charles Justus.
Kerr was taken to CHI St. Joseph’s Health in Park Rapids before being airlifted to a Fargo hospital due to the severity of his injuries. Authorities confirmed that he remains hospitalized in stable condition. According to the sheriff’s office, Justus later confessed to the stabbing during an interview with investigators.
He reportedly told officers that he believed his wife had been having an affair with Kerr and that he went to the home intending to “hurt him.” After the attack, Justus returned to the apartment he shared with Westphal and told her what had happened.
The report states that the couple fled the area in her vehicle and discarded his blood-stained clothing along State Highway 34. Investigators recovered physical evidence from the scene, including a knife believed to have been used in the attack.
Court records show that Justus has an extensive criminal history in California, with prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, theft, possession of a firearm, and escaping custody. Both Justus and Westphal made their first court appearances on October 6. Justus remains in custody pending further proceedings.