LAWRENCE, Kan. — Investigators in Lawrence say a man who they say tried to stab a woman to death and may have left explosives in her home Sunday night, is now in custody.
Lawrence police said Sean Martin Reese surrendered to police late Monday morning.
Police investigated an incident in the 1300 block of Rhode Island, which is just a few blocks east of Massachusetts Street between 13th and 14th streets.
Officers responded at about 11:30 p.m. and found a woman outside a home who had been stabbed several times. She was taken to a hospital, and investigators learned that Reese may have left explosives inside the home.
Lawrence police with the assistance of the Leavenworth Bomb Squad investigated and found the devices were homemade, consistent with commercial fireworks, and removed them.
They notified administrators at a nearby school, Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, but the scene was cleared before anyone arrived Monday morning.
Lawrence police said Reece is being interviewed by detectives at this time. No charges have been filed in the cast at this point.
One neighbor said she has been in contact with other neighbors who found the woman.
“And they said they heard their dog going crazy and went out in the front yard and saw the woman. So my friend got her a towel to help use as a tourniquet and he’s the one who called 911,” the neighbor said.
Neighbor Stephen Vitner said he had no idea about a bomb or anything. He also said he does not recognize the man in the mug shot that was released by police showing Sean Reese – who authorities say was wanted for attempted murder.
Authorities have not shared how the explosives were laid out in the home. The woman he is accused of stabbing was taken to a local trauma center.
“They’re always fighting. But yeah, like I said, I thought somebody had just maybe OD’d but I woke up this morning and got a notification on my phone saying somebody got stabbed and that was pretty crazy,” Vitner said.
“There are a lot of people that come by just for a few minutes. I’m not speculating but just my observations,” another neighbor said.