John Jefferson
Inset: Suspects Catherine and Corey Harper (Norfolk City Jail/WAVY/YouTube). Background: The pizza shop where the Harpers allegedly committed their attack (WAVY/YouTube).
A woman in Virginia upset over a “botched” pizza order got her husband to allegedly stab and disembowel a worker who was arguing with her about it, according to police.
“Handle the situation,” said Catherine Harper, 45, in a phone call with her husband, Corey Harper, 47, after she got into an argument with a 24-year-old employee at the fast-casual pizza chain Mod Pizza.
Court documents obtained by the local NBC affiliate WAVY describe the mid-day attack in graphic detail, with it allegedly being over a “botched order” from the Seattle-based pizza joint.
“The Victim was stabbed several times, in the back, in the front, and one long cut across the torso exposing the Victim’s intestines,” a Nov. 18 filing reads. “[Corey Harper] and wife left the scene,” the document adds. A judge in Norfolk General District Court ordered the couple to be held without bond on Monday following their arraignment.
Case records show Corey Harper is facing felony charges of malicious wounding and brandishing a firearm, while his wife is charged with conspiracy to commit malicious wounding. The two of them are due to appear in court again on Jan. 14.
Mod Pizza sent a statement to WAVY on Monday, saying the chain and management was “dismayed” to hear about the victim’s near-death experience, over a “botched order,” no less.
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“We were dismayed to learn about an argument inside our Norfolk-area Lake Wright restaurant involving one of our employees and two guests,” the chain said. “The altercation resulted in one of our MOD squad members being hospitalized and the arrest of one of the guests. Please understand this is an active investigation and we are cooperating with the local police. While our team member recuperates in the hospital, we are conducting our due diligence and will make a well-thought-out decision about this situation. MOD Pizza has zero tolerance for behavior that escalates conflicts, whether initiated by a guest or a team member.”
Mod officials say they’re “fully cooperating” with the Norfolk Police Department in its investigation and their “top priority is creating a fun and inspiring place to work and a great place to eat” in wake of the bloodshed.
“Moments like these force organizations to re-examine employee training and look for ways to reinforce values and expectations,” the restaurant said.
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