ELDRED, NY — On Friday, September 15, at about 9 p.m., the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Town of Highland Patrol answered a 911 call of a male breaking into a residence on Pine Ayre Drive in Eldred. The patrol arrived at the home within minutes and found a female who had been stabbed in the neck.

Deputies put out a description of a male who fled the location on foot, armed with a scalpel. The investigation at the scene revealed that the victim and assailant were previously involved in a relationship and got into an argument resulting in the male allegedly stabbing the female. Sheriff’s deputies and state troopers swarmed the area in an attempt to locate the suspect.

About an hour later, a state trooper located the suspect on Barker Road in Eldred. He was taken into custody and turned over to Sheriff’s detectives. The suspect was identified as Luke Matthews, age 36, with addresses in Middletown and Barryville. Matthews was charged with Felony Assault and the Misdemeanors of Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor. The suspect was arraigned in the Town of Tusten before Judge Klu Padu who issued an order of protection and released him on his own recognizance. Matthews is due back in the Town of Highland Court on September 24 at 5 p.m. The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Highland and Lumberland EMS.