Stabbing was an attempted murder-suicide

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department has classified the double stabbing that occurred last Friday on Marshall Avenue as an attempted murder-suicide.

The victim, who has not been named, survived the violent afternoon attack, while her assailant, Thomas E. Judkins, 36, died of stab wounds at the scene.

“His wounds were self-inflicted,” said Sgt. Shannon McAlvain of the Sheriff’s Office. “This would be an attempted murder-suicide.”

Although both Judkins and the victim sustained stab wounds, only one blade was found at the scene, in the front yard of a home just west of Petaluma, where the confrontation occurred. Sgt. Cecile Focha described the weapon as an 8-inch tanto-style knife with a 4-inch blade.

Police have not yet determined why Judkins tried to kill the victim. “We might not ever know what would drive a person to commit such a heinous and gruesome act of violence,” Focha said.

What police do know is that Judkins and the woman lived together as roommates at the Marshall Avenue home after he moved to the area from Essex Junction, Vt. The woman’s young daughter also lived at the home, but was not harmed during the Oct. 17 incident and is in the care of other family members while her mother recovers.

Focha said a witness passing by on a bicycle saw Judkins on top of the victim on the front lawn, while the woman screamed for help. The witness called 911 around 3:30 p.m. and was instructed to leave the area for his own safety until police arrived. Police closed the road to traffic while they searched the crime scene.