Deputies: Whitehouse woman stabbed, killed by son

WHITEHOUSE, Texas (KLTV) - A 24-year-old man from Whitehouse is sitting in the Smith County Jail this morning for allegedly stabbing and killing his 60-year-old mother Wednesday evening.

According to a press release, Smith County sheriff officials say around 5:15 p.m., a woman called 911 saying she had been stabbed by her son, who then left in her SUV.

When deputies arrived on the scene in the 20,000 block of East Grove Club Lake Road near Whitehouse, they began administering first aid to Bernice Slabaugh, 60, until EMS arrived.

She was then transported to a Tyler hospital, where she later died.

Later Wednesday night, Tyler police officers located Slabaugh’s vehicle on Golden Road in Tyler and arrested the driver, later identified as Slaubaugh’s son, Carson Aaron Epifano, 24 of Whitehouse.

At 7:36 pm, Slabaugh was pronounced deceased at the hospital, stated the release.

A search warrant was obtained for the residence and Smith County Crime Scene Investigators began processing the crime scene and gathering evidence.

According to the release, the Smith County investigators presented an arrest affidavit to Smith County Court at Law #3 Judge Floyd Getz. Judge Getz issued a warrant for murder on Epifano and set a bond of $2,000,000.

Epifano is currently in the Smith County Jail.

This is an ongoing investigation and more details will be released as they become available.