Branson police investigate fatal stabbing

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) -- An Arkansas man was stabbed to death Thursday night at a Branson motel, police said.

If the case is determined to be a homicide, it would be the first killing this year in the resort town and only the third since 2000, police said.

Police were called to Crescent Court Motel at about 10 p.m. Thursday, where they found the victim outside the motel office bleeding from a stab wound to the left shoulder.

Dewayne Anthony Lynn, 48, of Harrison, was taken to Skaggs Community Health Center where he died while undergoing treatment, authorities said.

Police said an autopsy was scheduled for Friday. No motive has been established and no suspects have been identified.

"From the preliminary investigation, it doesn't appear that anyone else was injured during the incident," Branson Police Chief Caroll McCullough said.

Lynn's death was being treated initially as suspicious, the police chief said.

"It happened in the motel room there at the Crescent Court," he said. "There are no signs of struggle in the room and just a small amount of blood in the room. There's a blood trail from outside the room to outside the office, where we assume he was going for assistance."

---

Police asked anyone with information to contact the Branson Police Department at 417-334-3300 or call the department's CATCH line at 417-334-1085.