Man dead after fight with prostitute

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - One man is dead and a woman is in the hospital after a double stabbing on the southwest side. The two people involved are potentially both victims.

Metro police said the man picked up a prostitute on Washington Street Wednesday afternoon. But when he started threatening her, authorities say she fought back.

A neighbor called police to the 3400 block of Kansas Street around 5:30 Wednesday afternoon. When police arrived, they found 55-year-old David Cook stabbed in the chest inside his home.

Officers believe 42-year-old Brenda Taylor stabbed Cook with a large kitchen knife in self defense after he threatened her with a knife. Investigators said the confrontation unfolded after Cook refused to pay the prostitute for sex.

Donny Morris witnessed the aftermath of the stabbing. He found Taylor naked and bleeding.

"She had at least one deep puncture wound right here and I saw at least two slash marks on each hand and she had blood all over her, in her hair," said Morris.

Morris said he was visiting a friend just across the street from where it happened. He said he saw the woman hop over the fence into the neighbor's yard and knock on the door. When no one answered, he said he ran across the street to help her.

"I had a sweatshirt on over this and she had deep cuts on her arms so I wrapped it up with that and put a towel over her and tried to calm her down. She was hysterical," said Morris.

Police said Cook died a short time later at a hospital. Taylor is expected to be OK.

Even metro police who work the southwest side neighborhood say homicides and other major crimes don't frequently happen in the area.

"It's nice around here. I saw one cop and I was puzzled and then everybody swarmed in," said one neighbor.

Right now, police haven't arrested Taylor. Investigators are still trying to determine if charges will be filed since the matter could be a case of self defense.