Suspect in Libby stabbing charged with attempted murder

Michael Borchardt Robertson, 24, of Yakima, Washington has been charged with attempted deliberate homicide for allegedly stabbing Doug Crum of Libby last Sunday afternoon.

Robertson, who was arrested shortly after the incident, remained jailed Thursday. His bail was set at $500,000.

Crum was stabbed at least 10 times and suffered two collapsed lungs in the attack, which occurred while Crum was walking on the path that extends beyond the end of Kootenai River Road in Libby.

After using bear spray to stop the attack, Crum walked back to his car and reported the incident to a passerby before driving home. From there his wife drove him to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, where he described the attack to Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies.

According to an affidavit prepared by Detective Brad Dodson, deputies went to the scene of the attack and found Crum’s ripped orange vest, a used can of bear spray and a knife, with what appeared to be blood on the vest and knife.

About the same time, a man fitting Crum’s description and later identified as Robertson walked out of the woods “within 20 feet of the vest, knife and can,” smelling “strongly of pepper spray” and wearing clothes stained with what appeared to be blood, Dodson wrote.

Robertson told the deputies that he was looking for a friend with whom he had traveled to Montana and saw the attack.

Further investigation proved the friend he claimed to be looking for “never came to and was not in Lincoln County,” Dodson wrote.

Deputies also learned that the knife was similar to one a family member said Robertson had access to.

Robertson also told deputies he was stranded in Lincoln County after his car ran out of fuel and that “he was eating blueberries and had stayed the night out in the woods,” Dodson wrote.

Court documents indicate Robertson’s preliminary hearing is 1:30 p.m. Nov. 21 in Montana 19th Judicial District Court in Libby.

Crum’s condition was unavailable at press time.