Fulton police said two women tricked two people into doing their dirty work, resulting in an assault and four arrests.
Fulton residents Anna Raines, 22, Brittany Boshears, 20, James Collins, 21, and Taylor Durbin, 18 were arrested Dec. 9 following the report of an assault on Grand Street. A probable cause statement from Fulton Police Officer Joe Bellamy.
According to the probable cause statement, Raines and Boshears confessed to working together to cause the assault on the victim. The victim was a romantic partner of Raines. Boshears had no relationship with the victim, and "had no real reason for her actions other than being excited about it," Officer Joe Bellamy states Boshears said in an interview.
Boshears suggested Raines should give herself a black eye, then tell Collins that the victim had struck Raines in the face with a firearm. Boshears and Raines knew Collins "despised" the victim, Bellamy stated.
Raines agreed, punching herself below the right eye about 10 times.
Raines and Boshears encouraged Collins to beat the victim, Raines admitted.
Bellamy stated Collins confessed to attacking the victim. He struck the victim three or four times with a machete, before throwing it down and striking the victim in the head and face with brass knuckles. Durbin, Collins' girlfriend, was also present during the attack and confessed to punching the victim in the head, Bellamy stated.
The victim was left with serious injuries.
"I spoke to (the victim) at the hospital following the assault," Bellamy wrote. "I noted that he was covered in blood to such an extent that I was unable to assess the full depth of his injuries. He had numerous cuts and abrasions, several (appearing) as if they would require stitches. When I left the hospital, (the victim) was waiting for an MRI as well as X-rays."
The probable cause statement does not attribute a motive to the crime, but notes Raines was intoxicated and Collins had a "violent temper attached to a short fuse."
After the assault came an attempted cover-up, as described by the probable cause statement. Durbin reportedly confessed to hiding the machete and brass knuckles once police were called, stashing them under some wood in the neighbor's yard. She also confessed to hiding Collins' blood-spattered shirt in a laundry vent.
Raines and Boshears initially told police the victim had struck Raines with a gun, giving her a black eye. Both repeated the story to multiple officers, Bellamy stated.
All four suspects eventually confessed.
Collins faces charges of second-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a weapon. Raines stands accused of two counts of second-degree assault and making a false report. Boshears is charged with two counts of second-degree assault and making a false report. Durbin faces charges of second-degree assault and two counts of tampering with evidence.