MOFFAT, Texas — A 35-year-old woman is facing three felony charges after authorities say an elderly couple was attacked inside their Moffat home and a mattress was later set on fire during the Aug. 24 incident.
Michelle Elizabeth Puehler is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of arson. She remains in the Bell County Jail, where records show she is being held on a combined $525,000 bond.
The incident happened in the 5400 block of Quail Hollow Drive, where deputies and emergency crews were called shortly before 3:40 p.m. following reports of a stabbing and a structure fire.
When deputies arrived, they found an elderly man and woman with multiple injuries. An 82-year-old woman was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, while the elderly man and another woman were also transported for treatment.
According to information detailed in an arrest affidavit, Puehler had been staying in an RV behind the couple’s home. During a period of extreme heat, the elderly woman allowed her inside the main house to cool down.
The situation reportedly turned violent after the elderly man heard his wife screaming. When he entered the house, Puehler allegedly attacked him with a butcher knife, striking him in the hand.
Investigators say the man managed to take the knife away, but Puehler then allegedly grabbed another kitchen knife and continued the attack. The affidavit also states that she bit his arm.
The man fought back, striking Puehler in the head with a drinking glass before getting away from the home and calling 911.
Puehler was later found on the kitchen floor with a head injury and broken glass around her, according to the affidavit.
Investigators also say the house began filling with smoke after Puehler went into a front bedroom. The affidavit alleges that she used a blue torch lighter from her RV to ignite a mattress, resulting in significant smoke damage inside the residence.
The elderly woman later spoke with investigators while recovering at the hospital. She reportedly said Puehler attacked her with a knife, causing wounds to her chest, throat and hands. She underwent surgery following the attack.
The case developed further after investigators presented the evidence to the Bell County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors accepted the two aggravated assault charges and the arson charge, and arrest warrants were issued.
The Bell County Sheriff’s Office has been leading the investigation, with assistance from the Texas Rangers and other responding agencies. Authorities previously said they did not believe there was any continuing threat to the surrounding community.
Puehler remains in custody while the criminal case moves forward. The allegations contained in the arrest affidavit are accusations, and the charges have not been proven in court.
