Park Rapids Couple Charged in Stabbing, Assault of Man

Charles Justus (on left) and Danielle Westphal (Credit: Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office)

A Park Rapids man has been charged with assault and attempted murder, and his wife charged as an accomplice to assault and attempted murder after the fact, following a stabbing and assault near Park Rapids early Saturday morning.

According to court documents, 44-year-old Charles Justus is accused of attacking the victim with his fists and stabbing him eight to 10 times in front of his daughter. The victim, a 49-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his left arm, upper back, and abdomen and was airlifted to a Fargo hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

Justus reportedly told investigators he had been awake for a couple of days due to methamphetamine use and that he believed his wife had been unfaithful to him with the victim.

Justus’ wife, 50-year-old Danielle Westphal, is accused of helping Justus discard of the bloody jeans Justus had reportedly been wearing by throwing them out of a vehicle into the ditch on Highway 34. The jeans were later recovered by law enforcement.

Westphal also admitted to using methamphetamine the night of the incident, according to court documents.

Justus is being held in custody on $2 million bond or bail with no conditions or $1 million with conditions, while Westphal is being held on $750,000 bond or bail with no conditions or $350,000 with conditions. Their next court hearings are both scheduled for October 13.