Suspect in deadly stabbing appears in court today

Southeast Missourian

BENTON, Mo. -- The suspect in a fatal weekend stabbing will make his first court appearance at 11 a.m. today. Robert L. Grant of Scott City faces six felony charges: one count of first-degree murder, one count of armed criminal action and four counts of assault.

Grant, 21, is accused of stabbing Chad L. Chaney, 22, of Scott City to death at a party early Saturday morning in a remote area in Scott County on County Road 301. He is also accused of assaulting Donald Brooks, Josh Crowden, Josh Howell and Jeremy Curd. All were treated for stab wounds following the incident.

According to the Scott County prosecuting attorney and the circuit clerk's office, Grant does not yet have an attorney.

Capt. Jerry Bledsoe of the Scott County Sheriff's Department said that Grant is the suspect in the case -- there had been some question as to whether the man they have in custody is actually Grant, which Bledsoe said has now been cleared up.

Bledsoe said that Grant has only a minor traffic infraction on his record in Missouri. He is currently following up on leads he received regarding a criminal history Grant may possibly have in California, but has not yet received any information.

Attempts to reach Grant's family for comment were unsuccessful. The Southeast Missourian received several anonymous e-mail messages claiming that Grant had acted in self-defense.

According to the probable-cause affidavit filed by deputy Bobby Sullivan, Grant arrived at the party and made some inappropriate remarks and grabbed a couple women. Brooks asked Grant to stop and Grant "pulled a knife from his pocket and held it in the air and said he would kill every [expletive] there.

"Brooks started to back away and Grant stabbed him in the lower stomach," the affidavit said. "Brooks fell to the ground and Grant stabbed him a second time in the back."

The report goes on to say that Chaney, Brooks' cousin, came to Brooks' aid and "Grant stabbed him twice in the upper left chest area. ... Several of the guys started toward Grant in an attempt to disarm him and were cut."

Sullivan wrote further that after he advised Grant of his rights, "Grant told me that he cut three or four of those [expletive] because they jumped him."

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160