LAKELAND, Fla.— Detectives say they didn't buy a Lakeland woman's explanation that she accidentally killed her husband with a filet knife.
Rachel Fidanian has been charged with second-degree murder for stabbing her husband to death on June 25, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said,
Investigators say Rachel stabbed Bryant Fidanian at their home on Wheeler Road. He later died at the hospital.
She offered two different explanations for what happened. At one point, she told detectives she accidentally stabbed her husband in the shoulder while doing the dishes and holding her dog in one hand. At another point, she allegedly said she did it because she got distracted while slicing a pizza after her dog pooped on itself, according to her arrest affidavit. Detectives found no poop, the affidavit said.
When Polk County Fire Rescue crews arrived, Rachel was initially naked, according to law enforcement. Fidanian attempted to demonstrate how she was holding her dog -- but she couldn’t pick it up, deputies said.
"The suspect made a lot of excuses, but none of them made sense. Our detectives did a thorough investigation. In the end, they determined this was an intentional act of domestic violence. Incidentally, her arrest occurred during Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
The Medical Examiner ruled her husband’s death as a homicide.
Authorities had been called to their house before. One of those calls led to the arrest of the victim, who was accused of breaking Rachel's arm, according to the arrest affidavit.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
