Wisconsin man who stabbed 4 family members ordered committed

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man who was obsessively concerned about the coronavirus pandemic has been ordered to spend the rest of his life in a mental health institution for stabbing four of his family members, two of them fatally.

Adam Roth, 36, of Waukesha, was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in the attack, which authorities said was linked to his concerns about coronavirus. He told a detective the day after the stabbing that coronavirus “was coming and I had to save them.”

In March, Roth and his wife, Dominique Roth, were in the kitchen eating when Adam began stabbing Dominique, according to a criminal complaint. When Dominique’s mother, Gilane Popanda, and Gilane’s other daughters, Desiree and Deidre, told him to stop, he “turned on everybody,” the complaint said.

Dominique Roth, 34, her sister, Deidre Popanda, 26, and a family dog died from their injuries. Desiree Popanda, 36, and Gilane Popanda, 62, also suffered significant injuries in the stabbing, the Journal Sentinel reported.

Man fatally shot by Oklahoma police threatened postal worker

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A man fatally shot by Oklahoma City police after threatening officers with a knife was charged with stabbing a postal worker six years ago, court documents show.

Bennie Edwards, 60, allegedly told the postal worker to “get off his porch” while she was delivering mail before attacking her with a knife. He was charged in 2014 with assault and battery for stabbing the postal worker.

The worker suffered several cuts on her left shoulder, but was not taken to a hospital and continued on her mail route, according to court documents.

His case was eventually dismissed more than two years after the felony charges over questions about his mental competency. Edwards’ family said he struggled with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, according to KFOR-TV.