Police: Man Claims Self-Defense After Breaking Into Home, Stabbing 2 People
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MILLVALE (KDKA) -- Police have a suspect in custody, but are still searching for a weapon after a man and woman were stabbed multiple times early Tuesday in Millvale.
The stabbing was first reported around 12:45 a.m. at a home on Evergreen Avenue.
Investigators say the suspect, identified as 43-year-old Shawn Holtgraver, later called police wanting to turn himself in. He was taken into custody and is now facing charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, burglary, harassment and tampering with evidence.
According to the criminal complaint, the people living inside the home where the stabbing happened told police that Holtgraver broke in and got into a fight with one of the victims, David Wolf. During the confrontation, police say Wolf and his sister, Jessica Demas, were stabbed.
Wolf suffered wounds to his hip, rib cage and left side of his head. Demas was wounded in the head and face.
KDKA knocked on the front door and talked with the victims' mother, Dianna Wolf. She said that her daughter needed to undergo surgery, but her son was already released from the hospital.
She said the noise from the argument and her daughter screaming woke her up. She called 911 to report the crime and said that Holtgraver ran out of the back door. She described the knife used as a "folding knife."
Police searched the home of Holtgraver's father, but did not find him.
After 1 a.m., investigators say Holtgraver called 911 wanting to surrender and giving his location to the dispatcher. Police responded to River Avenue between the 31st Street and 16th Street Bridges and took him into custody.
During his arrest, police say Holtgraver – who is described as being 6-feet-5-inches tall and 300 pounds – said he did it in self-defense and then threw the knife into the Allegheny River. He also told an officer, which police say was recorded on body cam footage, that he had been ripped off by Wolf many times, and he went to the home to "make things right."
Police searched near the river for the knife, but have not found it.
Holtgraver was evaluated at UPMC Mercy Hospital for injuries sustained in the incident.
In addition to Millvale Police, Pittsburgh, Shaler, Reserve and Etna police officers also assisted in the investigation.
