15°
Christopher Thomas Rhone, 43, took a kitchen knife to his 69-year-old dad's throat while he was asleep on the couch in the home they share in the 6500 block of Mountain Drive at 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, April 2, Pennsylvania State Police detailed in the affidavit.
The police arrived to find the dad holding a towel to his throat, which was dripping blood. He was rushed to a level one trauma center by a helicopter. Hospital staff later told the police they found multiple puncture wounds and lacerations to his neck, head, and face— one vertical wound to his esophagus was so large and deep "bubbles could be seen in the wound with the inhale and exhale of the victim," as stated in the affidavit.
Rhone was charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault and held without bail in the Franklin County Prison, police said and court documents confirmed.
Rhone has a criminal record, starting with charged with criminal mischief in 2006 which was dismissed after he paid restitution, a driving under the influence charge in 2007 and lost his license for a year, and in 2012 there was an incident that had simple assault, reckless endangerment, and harassment charges followed but had all charges withdrawn at the preliminary hearing stage, court records show.
But his infamous arrest happened when he was 36, he set his 85-year-old grandmother June Rhone's house on fire with her inside, claiming he was "cleaning it," according to court documents.
While in police custody he then attempted to stab himself and was hospitalized, as detailed in the affidavit. Rhone was charged with felony attempted homicide, aggravated assault, arson-danger of death or bodily injury, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another— but only the criminal mischief charged stood, court records show.
Shortly after he was release he was again charged with criminal mischief in 2018. In total, he served 666 days in prison of a 60 month sentence as well as undergoing drug/alcohol treatment and mental health treatment, according to his latest court docket on the mischief cases in 2021.
His preliminary hearing for this most resent case has been set before Magisterial District Judge Duane K. Cunningham on April 11, 2023 at 8:30 a.m., according to most recent docket.
This is the second incident of an arsonist threatening to kill people with a knife that Daily Voice reported on in less two weeks. It is also the second incident of a convict allegedly committing a second major offense in Chambersburg on Sunday, April 2, 2023. You can read about the heroin dealing ring leader who held a woman hostage before threatening Pennsylvania State Police in a standoff, here.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Bethlehem and receive free news updates.
