Robbery, attempted murder victim still in hospital

Daily Dunklin Democrat

A Dunklin County woman remains hospitalized at a Springfield, Mo. hospital after being beaten, strangled and having her throat slashed in a weekend incident, authorities said.

Carmen Joann Tibbs, 67, of 677 Bailey St., Campbell, Mo., was abducted from her home Sunday, Dec. 21, and driven across the state to Dallas County where the attack took place, according to Dallas County Sheriff Billy Rex Blair.

He said five people have been arrested in connection with the attack, two in Dallas County and three in Dunklin County.

In a joint statement Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder and Chief Weldon Wallace of the Campbell Police Department said the investigation led to the arrest of neighbors of Tibbs.

Gregory W. Allen, 678 Bailey St., Campbell, and his wife Toni Ann Allen, have been charged with kidnapping, robbery and burglary in the first degree by Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Sokoloff. The charges were filed late Monday.

The couple is being held in the Dunklin County Jail in Kennett on bond of $250,000 each.

The third person arrested has not been charged, but Sheriff Holder said additional charges are expected to be filed against the Allens in Dallas County and possibly against other individuals.

In an interview Monday afternoon Blair said the incident apparently began Sunday night at the victim's home in Campbell.

Tibbs told authorities that a woman had knocked on her door and asked to use the telephone. After Tibbs agreed and opened the door, a man forced his way into her house.

Blair said the woman knew the people who attacked her and was able to tell authorities who they were.

Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder said the Allens were neighbors of Tibbs. They and another man had rented a residence across the street from Tibbs' residence.

Tibbs was beaten, her home ransacked and she was shoved into the trunk of her 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, authorities said.

She was driven to a country road about nine miles east of Buffalo, the county seat of Dallas County. At that point, her abductors took her out of the car and attempted to strangle her, Sheriff Blair said. When that failed they cut her throat and left her for dead on the gravel road.

Blair said Tibbs somehow made her way to a home in the area around 3:30 a.m. Monday. She found a pickup truck which had been parked with the keys still in the ignition. When Tibbs started the vehicle, Blair said people then came out of the house and discovered her in the pickup.

They called 911 and Tibbs was taken by ambulance to Buffalo, then air evacuated to St. Johns Medical Center in Springfield, Mo.

Tibbs' car was found abandoned and on fire about 7:15 a.m. Monday about three miles from her home.

No motive has been given for the attack on Tibbs.

Sheriff Holder said he activated the Major Case Squad to assist in the investigation which involved his office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control and the Campbell Police Department.