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Woman Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Her Daughter's Father During Domestic Dispute
Deanna Coakley allegedly fatally stabbed Joseph Strock, the father of her daughter, in the neck with a kitchen knife after a verbal altercation escalated to violence.
An Illinois woman is accused of murdering her young daughter’s father by stabbing him in the neck with a kitchen knife.
Deanna Coakley, 27, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the Sunday killing of Joseph Strock, 31, both the Dupage County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Warrenville Police Department announced in a Wednesday press release.
On Sunday, police were called to Coakley’s home in Warrenville “for a report of a woman screaming,” according to the press release.
“Upon their arrival, officers found Coakley on top of a male, later identified as Strock, near the front of the residence directly in front of the door,” the release states. “Strock was bleeding from the neck and a large pool of blood was under his body.”
Strock was transported to a local hospital for the laceration wound on his neck and was soon pronounced deceased. The Warrenville Police Department has determined that a verbal altercation between the two turned escalated to violence that evening.
“At which time Coakley stabbed Strock in the neck with a kitchen knife,” investigators allege. They further state "that following the stabbing, Strock exited the apartment and collapsed on the ground outside the front door where authorities found him.”
Investigators are referring to the incident as an act of domestic violence.
“Nationwide, domestic violence remains a silent epidemic that unfortunately occurs predominantly behind closed doors,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin stated on Wednesday. “If left unchecked however, the consequences can be deadly, as is alleged in this case. I urge anyone who finds themselves in an abusive relationship to seek help from any of a multitude of social service programs available throughout the country that offer assistance and guidance to people in an abusive relationship.”
Coakley’s bond has been set at $1 million. Her next court appearance is scheduled for March 10. It’s not clear if she has a lawyer.
