Preliminary hearing continued in fatal stabbing case
A preliminary hearing for a Brownsville woman charged in the stabbing death of a Brownsville man was continued Monday before Magisterial District Judge Michael Defino. Dayna Nicole McMaster, 32, of 801 High St. was charged with homicide in the stabbing death of Clarence Foster Blair III, 46, following the stabbing June 26. A new hearing has been set for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 28.
State police Trooper Louis J. Serafini said the stabbing occurred as McMaster and Blair were fighting around 10 p.m.
Serafini said that McMaster told investigators that she was a passenger in a pickup truck that Blair was driving. Serafini said McMaster told them that Blair stopped the truck about 300 feet north of a gas well access road in Redstone Township, got out of the vehicle and came around to her side. McMaster then alleged that Blair started to assault her and that she reached for a hunting knife inside the vehicle. McMaster then allegedly used the knife to stab him in the chest, Serafini said.
After allegedly apologizing to Blair for stabbing him, McMaster then drove him to Uniontown Hospital at his request, where he died from the stab wound a short time later.
McMaster remains in the Fayette County Prison without bond.