Woman stabbed in McCamey

MCCAMEY A man wanted in the McCamey stabbing of his common-law wife was arrested Monday morning in Nolan County, Upton County Sheriff Dan Brown said.

Dean Allen Payne, 51, was arrested on Interstate 20 east of Sweetwater and charged with attempted murder in connection with the Sunday evening stabbing of Melissa Valles, 43, Brown said.

Valles was stabbed "multiple times" at the couple's home at 218 E. First St., Brown said. She was transported to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, where she was listed in stable condition Monday afternoon.

Payne was being held on $100,000 bond, Brown said.

Brown, who's been sheriff for 22 years, said incidents like this are rare for the rural county of around 3,400.

"We've had a few assaults and stuff like that, but probably nothing like this," said Brown, who credited Nolan County authorities for responding to a Teletype message sent out by his office and making the arrest.