Intruder Caught After He Stabs 2 to Death in Stockton Robbery

A Stockton man and his wife were stabbed to death early Tuesday by an intruder who beat their son on the head with a sports trophy and then terrorized two daughters in a robbery that got him just $100.

“I can’t really say why he ended up stabbing two people, but it’s pretty clear he went into that house with the purpose of committing a residential robbery and that he intended to confront his victims,” Stockton Police Lt. Bob Wingo said.

“Maybe the wife woke up and tried to scream. That’s about the only thing we can suspect as to why he stabbed these people,” he said.

Henry Dean Palmer, 32, of Stockton was arrested by police 10 minutes after the couple’s 16-year-old son escaped from the house. He was hit on the head by Palmer with a heavy trophy, but “feigned death” and then climbed out a back window, Wingo said.

Palmer reportedly entered the house through an unlocked back door.

He stabbed the 52-year-old woman who was sleeping on the couch. He then went into the bedroom and confronted the 53-year-old husband who struggled with him, Wingo said. The man was found dead in the hallway.

The boy heard the commotion and came into the hallway, where he was attacked by Palmer, Wingo said.

The suspect then went into another bedroom where the two daughters, ages 20 and 30, were sleeping, beating them with his hands and demanding money.

He eventually took a purse with $100 in it and fled.