Man Faces Life In Prison After 'Egregious' Stabbings

RACINE, WI — A Racine man faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after police say he's the man responsible for stabbing and wounding the mother of his children and fatally stabbing the woman's boyfriend.

Lapiate Boone, 39, of the 3800 block of North Bay Drive, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first degree intentional homicide, mayhem, stalking, disorderly conduct and two battery counts less than 48 hours after he was arrested.

During Boone's initial appearance in Racine County Circuit Court Friday afternoon, the attorney representing Boone recommended a minimal bond given that Boone did not have a significant criminal history. That argument was quickly shot down by Court Commissioner John Bjelajac.

“I appreciate your argument," Court commissioner John Bjelajac said in a Journal Times report on Friday afternoon. "I’m also staring at a complaint that is egregious, to say the least.”

According to a criminal complaint filed in Racine County, officers responded to Boone's residence in a duplex on North Bay Drive - just south of Three Mile Road and east of N. Main Street on the city's north side.

Investigators say Boone was at his home with his 11 and 16-year-old children Wednesday afternoon when the children's mother came to check up on them. Investigators say the two became embroiled in an argument over keys for the residence since the woman's name was on the lease. As the argument escalated, police say Boone grabbed a silver-handled steak knife off the kitchen counter and with one motion, swung his right arm, striking her upper right thigh with the blade.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman, whose pants began soaking in blood, and hurriedly drove herself to the hospital. Police say Boone tried numerous times to persuade her not to go to the hospital because he knew "he would get in trouble."

According to the criminal complaint, after the woman left the hospital following treatment, she returned to the residents on North Bay Drive with her boyfriend in order to pick up school bags and clothes for her two children.

Police say the boyfriend and Boone got into a new argument, which resulted in Boone stabbing him multiple times with a knife from a cutting block. After Boone fled, the children attempted to use towels to stop the boyfriend's bleeding. He called 911, however succumbed to his wounds before reaching the emergency room.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman had been slashed across her face, and puncture wounds to her back torso. She was transported to the hospital and taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital for emergency treatment. She is in stable condition as of Friday afternoon.

Boone is currently being held in the Racine County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 5 in the morning.