Daughter’s Boyfriend Breaks into Home Before Brutally Slaying Her Father During 911 Call

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – A Fayetteville man was apparently stabbed to death in his home after calling 911 on Thursday night to report that his daughter’s boyfriend had broken into his home and was attacking him.

John Hurlburt, 53, told telecommunicators that the man had used a stun gun on him, and he had fought back by hitting his attacker with a weight of some type. Minutes later, he stopped answering questions as the dispatchers heard what sounded like his screams for help.

Arriving about 15 minutes later, sheriff’s deputies observed a male subject running, and took Samuel Appling, 22, also of Fayetteville, into custody. Appling was in possession of a knife, and a pistol was found in the area.

They then went to the residence where the call originated and found Hurlburt dead from apparent stab wounds. The body will undergo an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Appling is charged with capital murder, residential burglary and fleeing. He remained jailed with no bond.

It is unfortunate that the homeowner was unprepared and/or unable to defend himself.  While Arkansas does not have “Stand Your Ground” or “Castle Doctrine” laws per se, State laws do allow citizens to shoot a trespasser in their home who is a violent threat, even if it could be avoided by retreating. Anyone who is unsure of the laws in their state of residence should research reliable sources to obtain accurate information.