Elderly woman fatally stabbed by her niece over the weekend in west Phoenix

PHOENIX — An elderly woman was fatally stabbed by her niece over the weekend in west Phoenix, authorities said.

Officers received a call around 1:45 a.m. Sunday from Icess Woodcox, 27, reporting she stabbed her aunt at a residence near Thomas Road and 51st Avenue, the Phoenix Police Department said.

When officers arrived, they found 75-year-old Ruby Catherine Pittman with multiple stab wounds all over her body, according to court documents. Pittman was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Post Miranda rights, Woodcox told detectives she was at home reading the bible earlier in the morning. She read the bible all the time and had been trying to interpret what the bible was telling her to do. Woodcox knew something bad was about to happen,” according to the probable cause statement for her arrest.

Police located a knife at the scene, as well as a knife in Woodcox’s purse, according to court documents.

Woodcox was booked into jail on one count of first-degree murder.

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