Howard man arrested after hiding in attic, pointing knife at woman, police say
A Howard man was arrested before dawn Monday after a woman told state police at Rockview he hid in her attic, wielded a knife and sent her and two children fleeing the house.
Jeffery L. Butler, 39, was charged with felony counts of burglary and aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor counts of simple assault and terroristic threats.
A woman called 911 about 1:20 a.m. Monday and said she could hear someone in her children’s bedroom, a trooper wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. She could be heard on the phone telling Butler to “get out” before she and her children were heard screaming, police said. The woman had an active protection order against Butler.
Troopers arrived about 11 minutes after the 911 call and shouted commands for Butler to come downstairs, but police said they were ignored. Butler then exited a bedroom window, went onto the roof and continued to ignore commands to drop the knife.
Butler was shocked with a Taser and immediately arrested, police wrote.
The homeowner told troopers she believed Butler hid in the home since Sunday afternoon. He was wearing a bandanna as a face covering and pointed the knife at her, which she said caused her to fear for her life. Butler was also accused of grabbing her hair and attempting to push her down the staircase.
District Judge Casey McClain denied bail during a preliminary arraignment Monday, describing Butler as an “extreme risk” to himself and others. He is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. No defense lawyer was listed.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 23.
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM.