Everett man charged in February knife attack on elderly women

EVERETT, Wash. --  Authorities have charged an Everett man with second-degree murder and first-degree assault following a knife attack that killed a 78-year-old woman and injured her 62-year-old daughter.

The Daily Herald reports that court papers filed Friday list the charges against 31-year-old John Dimitri Kuljis.

Barbara Decker died and Janine Shaffer sustained injuries in the Feb. 19 attack in Decker's Snohomish-area home.

Authorities say Kuljis cut both women's throats with a knife used to cut carpet.

Documents say Kuljis was in the home with his uncle, who was doing construction work on the bathroom.

The uncle told officials that they fled after the attack and the nephew threw the knife out the window.

Kuljis is being held on $1.5 million bail. Police haven't stated a motive for the attack.