Cass County Sheriff Jessie Jahner holding a press conference on October 15th, behind him, Tim Meyer, senior director of emergency services at Sanford Health, and Assistant Cass County State's Attorney John Gonzalez. (KFGO News Photo / Jake Anderson)
FARGO (KFGO) – A Rapid City, South Dakota man was arrested Wednesday on a suggested attempted murder charge after a woman was found with life-threatening injuries near the Wild Rice River in rural South Fargo, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
Tracy Peters, 60, was arrested around 1:00 p.m. Wednesday following an investigation into the attack. He is being held at the Cass County Jail on a suggested charge of attempted murder, a Class A felony.
The investigation began around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday when deputies and emergency medical responders were dispatched to the area of 112th Avenue South and County Road 81 after a report of an injured person.
Tracy Peters, 60 (Cass County Sheriff’s Office)
According to Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner, a resident identified as Jay Schuler was alerted to movement near the area by one of his game cameras. When he checked the footage, he saw a woman walking near the Wild Rice River who appeared to be seriously injured and in need of help.
Sheriff Jahner says the woman had blood on her thigh, was wearing a sock on one foot and had no footwear on the other
Jay contacted Jeff Jones, who lives nearby, and told him what he had seen. Jones went to the area to look for the woman and found her before emergency responders arrived. He helped her into his vehicle to get her assistance.
A sheriff’s office detective and a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper arrived around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday and began providing medical assistance.
Responders observed multiple cuts to the woman’s neck and an injury to her hand. Her clothing and hair were also wet. Authorities have not determined all the circumstances surrounding her injuries.
The woman was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. During her initial contact with investigators, she provided a first name and information about a possible vehicle associated with the person involved, but authorities were unable to immediately identify a suspect.
The woman later told medical personnel that she had been attacked with a knife, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators and the Highway Patrol searched the surrounding area for evidence. Information from another resident who reported seeing a man in a vehicle near where the woman was found helped investigators identify a location where they believe the injuries occurred.
Authorities secured the scene overnight because of limited daylight and resumed collecting evidence Wednesday morning.
Jahner said Peters and the woman knew each other before the incident, but investigators are still working to determine the nature of their relationship.
Cass County Sheriff Jessie Jahner joined by Fire Chief of Southern Valley Fire & RescueChristopher Mahoney (right) Assistant Cass County State’s Attorney John Gonzalez, Senior Director of Emergency Services at Sanford Health Tim Meyer, Cass County Assistant State’s Attorney Beau Cummings (left), and North Dakota Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind (KFGO News Photo / Jake Anderson)
“The injuries that I have seen, in my opinion, are very graphic, and I feel like this person was left out there to die,” Jahner said during a news conference.
The sheriff thanked Jay and Jones for helping the woman get medical attention quickly, saying their actions may have made a difference in whether she survived.
“Had Jay and Jeff not responded to what they had observed, I think we would be in a different situation,” Jahner said.
The sheriff also thanked investigators, emergency medical personnel and law enforcement partners for their coordinated response. He said the investigation involved witness interviews, surveillance and evidence collected at the scene.
Authorities have not released additional details about the woman’s injuries, her current condition or the events leading up to the attack.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident or suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office through Red River Regional Dispatch.
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