A Wyoming woman accused of nearly killing her husband inside their home may have spent hours laying the groundwork for a false self-defense claim, according to investigators.
Tabatha Richardson, 37, is charged with aggravated assault and battery following a December 2025 stabbing that prosecutors say unfolded while her husband was feeding their infant son on the couch in their Casper home. What began as a domestic dispute in the shadow of a pending divorce has now turned into a case defined by surveillance footage, conflicting 911 calls, and allegations of calculated deception.
According to investigators, the attack came without warning. The husband told dispatchers he was seated and feeding the baby when Richardson approached him and suddenly struck. He said he felt something hit the right side of his neck and, upon touching the area, realized he was bleeding. Fearing for his life and the safety of his children, he fled the home and called for help.
In a separate 911 call, Richardson offered a starkly different account. She claimed her husband had attacked her first, punching her in the ribs while she was holding their child. She told dispatchers she grabbed a folding knife from her bra and stabbed him in an attempt to stop the assault.
But investigators say the physical evidence did not match her version of events.
A search of the home reportedly revealed blood but no signs of a struggle, raising questions about whether the confrontation unfolded the way Richardson described. Detectives also noted that the knife in question lacked a spring-assisted mechanism, making it unlikely it could be opened with one hand as she claimed.
The most damaging evidence, however, appears to come from inside the home itself.
Surveillance footage from a bedroom camera allegedly shows that hours before the stabbing, Richardson struck herself repeatedly with a small sledgehammer. Investigators said the blows appeared controlled—forceful enough to leave visible marks but not severe enough to cause serious injury. When deputies later examined her, they observed bruising consistent with the shape of the hammer.
Authorities say Richardson initially told investigators she used the tool as part of a treatment for a chronic condition. But during follow-up interviews, she reportedly changed her story, admitting she had struck herself in an effort to protect herself and her children. She also allegedly confessed to scratching her own body with a chisel.
Further evidence from her phone deepened investigators’ suspicions. According to the affidavit, Richardson had sent herself messages about domestic abuse and had gathered materials related to testifying as an abuse victim—details prosecutors suggest point to premeditation rather than self-defense.
Even her attempt to demonstrate how she opened the knife raised doubts. Investigators noted that while Richardson insisted she used one hand, she repeatedly used two hands when asked to show how it was done.
Medical records reviewed as part of the investigation reportedly showed no documented history of abuse by her husband. Authorities also said a search of his phone revealed no evidence supporting claims of violent behavior.
The case has unfolded against the backdrop of the couple’s divorce, which had been filed just weeks before the alleged attack. Investigators say Richardson had expressed concerns about losing custody of her children—fears that may now play a central role in the prosecution’s theory of motive.
After her arrest earlier this month, Richardson posted 10% of her $30,000 bond and was released. It remains unclear when she will next appear in court.
What is clear, however, is that the case may hinge not just on what happened in a single violent moment, but on what prosecutors allege happened in the hours leading up to it—a sequence they say transformed a domestic dispute into something far more deliberate.
