A Knife in the Southern Dark – The Hunt for Daphne’s “Runaway” Suspect

DAPHNE, AL (BuzzReport) – The tranquil, oak-shaded streets of a quiet Daphne neighborhood have become the epicenter of a frantic manhunt, shattered by an act of brutal violence that has left one woman fighting for her life and another on the run from the law.

Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputies are scouring the county and beyond for 26-year-old Taylor Duplesis, identified as the sole suspect in a near-fatal stabbing they describe as a “violent, targeted attack.” Duplesis, a local resident, is now the subject of a statewide alert, considered “armed and dangerous” and “actively evading law enforcement.”

The peace of a crisp October evening was shattered just after nightfall on Sunday, October 22. A frantic 911 call led deputies to a residence on the 25000 block of Pollard Road, a area known more for family cookouts than criminal activity.

What they found was a scene of chaos and bloodshed.

Upon arrival, deputies located an adult female victim with significant trauma to her torso.

The victim, whose name is being withheld pending family notification, was rushed to a nearby trauma center. Officials confirmed she sustained two deep stab wounds and underwent emergency surgery. She is currently listed in stable but critical condition.

It was from her hospital bed, amid the haze of anesthesia and pain, that the victim provided the crucial break in the case. She named her alleged attacker: Taylor Duplesis.

An active warrant has been issued for Duplesis’s arrest, charging her with Assault in the First Degree—a felony that could see her imprisoned for decades.

The revelation that the two women knew each other has sent ripples of shock and morbid curiosity through the close-knit community. Neighbors described a sense of unease, with many questioning what could have sparked such a ferocious encounter between acquaintances.

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office is urging the public for assistance. Taylor Duplesis is described as a white female, approximately 5’5″, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Her current whereabouts and mode of transportation are unknown.

As the investigation continues and the manhunt intensifies, a community is left to grapple with the dark truth that sometimes the most frightening threats aren’t from strangers in the shadows, but from familiar faces who suddenly turn violent.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Taylor Duplesis is urged to contact the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 251-937-0202. All calls may remain anonymous.