The Laytonville family of a beloved local doctor has been devastated following a stabbing that left two family members dead and two critically wounded early Sunday morning.

The alleged killer Talen Clark Barton, 19, was arrested at the S. Meadow Lane home he shared with the victims.

Teo Palmieri, 17, and his father Coleman Palmieri, 52, died in their home. Mother and wife Dr. Cindy Norvell was critically injured. Deputies who arrived at the home, along with Long Valley Fire Department, are credited with saving her life. Her brother Theodore Norvell, visiting from St. John’s, Newfoundland, raced to help save his sister and brother-in-law from the attacker; he received critical stab wounds to his neck and chest.

The two stabbing survivors were flown by air ambulance to separate hospitals in Redding and Santa Rosa where they are in critical but stable condition. Mendocino Sheriff Tom Allman stated in a Sunday press conference they were expected to survive.

Two teenaged girls, aged 14 and 15, who were sleeping downstairs, were awakened by the massacre. While the alleged murderer did not attack them, he forced one girl, at bloody knifepoint, to tie herself with a telephone charger cord to the wounded Theodore Norvell. The murderer told the girls he was leaving and they weren’t to call 9-1-1 until 8 a.m. when he said he would have made his escape.

The girls persuaded their captor to call 9-1-1 at 12:46 a.m. about 30 minutes after the rampage began. One of the girls spoke with the dispatcher before Barton got onto the phone.

According to police, Barton admitted to the four stabbings and told the dispatcher that two of his victims needed medical help. The dispatcher kept Barton on the line, requesting he put down the knife and meet deputies outside the residence. Deputies arrived about 30 minutes later from Willits and took Barton into custody.

The two girls were cousins, one the sister of the slain boy, and the other the daughter of the wounded man.

While traumatized, the girls were not physically harmed and were aided by Child Protective Services until they could be reunited with other family members.

Barton has been held without bail in Mendocino County Jail since his arrest on two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of false imprisonment. He was scheduled to be arraigned yesterday with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office expected to file expanded murder and attempted murder charges. A final set of charges were not available by press time.

The crime scene (from police reports)

Barton got out of bed at about 12:15 a.m. and went into the kitchen where he picked up a 12-inch long kitchen knife. He then walked upstairs to Teo Palmieri’s bedroom where Barton began stabbing the 17-year-old boy, according to police. Barton is 6 feet tall and weighs 145 pounds.

Teo fought back, but was eventually silenced.

This struggle alerted Cindy Norvell who raced to the top of the stairs where she was stabbed repeatedly in the neck and chest. Coleman Palmieri came to aid his wife and son. He was stabbed viciously and mortally in the neck and chest. Cindy Norvell attempted to run downstairs to seek further help, with her assailant on her heels.

The commotion brought Cindy’s brother, Theodore Norvell, into the fray; he was stabbed in the neck and chest, slumping to the floor.

When the two girls came out of their room, the murderer stopped his attacks. After a few minutes he allowed one of the girls to call 9-1-1.

“The dispatcher then obtained driving directions and as responding deputies arrived, talked Barton into placing the knife down and exiting the residence where he surrendered without incident,” Sheriff’s Lt. Shannon Barney stated.

Once police were called, Barton changed out of his blood soaked clothing and smoked a joint to await their arrival.

Theodore Norvell and his 15-year-old daughter were visiting the Palmieri-Norvells on a summer holiday.

Alleged killer’s background

Barton spoke with a friend about two weeks before the murders about his desire to kill someone, according to Allman. The “friend” did not contact law enforcement.

Barton attended Willits Charter School in 2011-2012 and then transferred to Laytonville High School where he graduated last year.

He lived with a local foster family for about 10 years until a violent incident in January 2013. The details of this incident are sealed as part of his juvenile record.

The Palmieri-Norvell family then took Barton in and gave him a loving home after the incident.

Classmates say Barton and Teo Palmieri were considered best of friends. Barton listed Teo as family on his Facebook page.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office detectives are still looking for a motive for the stabbings.

Barton told police he was a heavy pot smoker, attempting to stay high during all of his waking hours. Police say he was quite “high” when he was taken into custody.

Theodore Norvell and his 15-year-old daughter were visiting the Palmieri-Norvells from their home in St. John’s Newfoundland.