Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office arrested 58-year-old Karen Ruth Dedert on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, following a stabbing at her home located in the 9500 block of Tara Cay Court in Seminole.
According to the arrest affidavit, deputies responded at approximately 8:16 a.m. to a report of an assault and battery in progress. Upon arrival, they found the victim, identified as Dedert’s husband, outside the residence wearing a white robe and suffering from a laceration to his left forearm.
The victim told deputies that around 5:00 a.m., Dedert woke him, asked about their son’s whereabouts, and stated, “I need to sacrifice and kill you both,” before attempting to stab him with a large knife. He was able to disarm her and secure himself in a downstairs bedroom.
Around 7:45 a.m., after briefly encountering the victim and returning to shower, Dedert ambushed him from behind the refrigerator, attempting to stab him in the abdomen with a knife. The victim raised his arm to block the attack, sustaining a cut to his forearm in the process. During the struggle, Dedert reportedly yelled, “I’m going to kill you.” The victim managed to grab the knife and fled the home to call for help.
Deputies detained Dedert inside the residence without incident. After being informed of her Miranda rights, she chose not to speak with investigators but later made a spontaneous statement about the incident. She said, “These aren’t the clothes I was wearing when I stabbed him.”
Dedert was charged with attempted first-degree murder. The incident was classified as domestic-related, and she was booked into the Pinellas County Jail without bond.