Walkerville woman pleads ‘no contest’ in bizarre stabbing case.

Candice Fennel with her attorney, Julie Springstead Waltz.

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By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

HART — Candice Lee Fennel, 20, of Walkerville, who pleaded “no contest” Monday, July 18, in 27th Circuit Court to felonious assault in a bizarre stabbing case that may have involved prostitution, faces a prison term of one year and one day.

Fennel may be eligible for special alternative incarceration (SAI) or “boot camp” instead of serving her time in prison. Judge Anthony A. Monton said he had no objection to SAI.

Charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; lying to police and second-offense habitual offender were dismissed in exchange for her plea during Monday’s pretrial hearing.

Fennel stabbed a 21-year-old Muskegon man in the neck in Crystal Township last May after the two connected through a social app, called meet.com, said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.

The stabbing occurred at the Brown’s Farm camping area in the federal forest, Oceana County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Craig Mast said previously.

After fleeing the scene, Fennel was eventually located by a Muskegon County K-9 tracking dog in a “thicket of briars” in federal forest land, Mast said.

A witness said the victim was “covered in blood” and narrowly avoided death.

A theory in the case is that Fennel was providing prostitution services for the victim, Bizon said. “There was some sort of an agreement for an exchange of services,” he said. “We have reason to believe she engaged in prostitution before.”

It is theorized that Fennel and the victim got into the altercation because they could not agree on a price or the victim may have tried to get services without paying, Bizon said.

The victim continues to recover from the stabbing, Bizon said, through “ongoing therapy.”

Sentencing is set for Aug. 15 at 9 a.m. Fennel was remanded back to Oceana County Jail awaiting sentencing.