Woman and Dog Survive Brutal Home Invasion

A 79-year-old woman, Cheryl Trostrud-White, and her yellow lab, Cali, were victims of a violent attack in July 2025 by a man renting a room in their home. Michael D. Lemons Jr., 23, has been sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison for the stabbing that left Trostrud-White with life-altering injuries and her dog with stab wounds.

During the attack, Lemons, who had been living with Trostrud-White and had recently shared pizza with her, suddenly attacked her, causing a concussion and stabbing her eight times. He also stabbed Cali twice. Trostrud-White recalled hearing Lemons say, "shut that [barking] dog up." She believed she was going to die.

Lemons' attorney cited a history of childhood abuse and mental illness, including self-medication with alcohol and drugs. Lemons had been discharged from the Air Force due to mental health reasons and had previously been declared incompetent to stand trial. Despite being found sane at the time of the attacks, he exhibited paranoia and a disconnect from reality.

Trostrud-White, formerly an independent artist and teacher, has suffered permanent nerve and tendon damage to her neck and left arm, requiring daily pain medication. She has lost much of her independence, is mostly housebound, and worries about the financial implications of needing lifelong assistance.

During sentencing, Prosecutor Dan Sallerson emphasized the victim's lifelong sentence of recovery, while Lemons expressed remorse, stating he was "not in my right mind" and in a "disoriented state." Judge Laurie J. Pittman acknowledged the complexities of mental illness but ultimately agreed with the prosecution, noting Lemons' self-medication likely contributed to the attack.