A LeFlore County man is out of the hospital and behind bars after police say he stabbed his common law wife several times before the couple was found unconscious last week outside of their burning home.
Elec Cusick, 39, was transported to a Tulsa hospital after crews responded to a house fire Jan. 21. Cusick’s common law wife, Myrtle Cooper, remains in critical but stable condition after suffering several stab wounds, as well as severe burns over half of her body. Doctors are expecting her to recover.
Cusick was arrested on an assault charge out of Iowa. He also faces charges in LeFlore County of kidnapping and assault and battery with a deadly weapon with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, investigators said.
Cusick will likely also face other charges, according to the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies expect Cusick to be transported back to LeFlore County as early as later this week, said Sheriff Rob Seale.
Cusick had an outstanding warrant on a domestic assault charge in Iowa, according to court documents. Records show police arrested Cusick in 2009 on suspicion of disorderly conduct, failure to obey a police officer and transporting an open container.
Crews responded to the house fire on Stewart Loop at about 8:30 p.m. Cusick and Cooper were found unconscious in the front yard. A neighbor said Cooper was naked.
Detectives traveled to Tulsa last Thursday to interview Cusick. Deputies are treating the incident as domestic abuse case, Seale said.
