Authorities said a woman has been charged with murdering a man she was in a romantic relationship with at a Signal Mountain residence "in a violent and brutal manner."
Rhonda Lorna Essenpreis, 63, is charged with criminal homicide in the death of Randall Paul Otto, 69.
Authorities said she stabbed him three times with a large butcher knife, including first in the back of the head.
Evidence at the scene showed the victim got down on his knees and tried to crawl away, but was attacked two more times, it was stated.
The slaying happened near a packed suitcase, and detectives said Ms. Essenpreis may have been angry that the victim was leaving the residence at 3641 Scarlet Maple Court.
His dead body was found seated in a chair in the living room.
Ms. Essenpreis had blood on her hands and feet and blood was found in several areas of the living room and on a bed where she barricaded herself in a bedroom.
An affidavit said Ms. Essenpreis has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had not been taking her medication. She was also suffering from a sleep disorder, it was stated.
Police initially went to the home around 3 a.m. on a call of a drug overdose. A woman called and said her mother had called her, saying she had overdosed. Police later said it appeared Ms. Essenpreis had tried to take her own life after the slaying by overdosing on pills.
They said she was hiding when they arrived and she then went into the bedroom and locked it. Police had to force their way inside the bedroom.
Ms. Essenpreis declined to give a statement to a detective.
She was taken to Silverdale to be booked on the murder charge.