Soldier charged in attack on wife

Lincoln Phillips, 35, accused of attempted murder, is being held in lieu of $350,000 bail

A 35-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier was charged in the attempted murder of his wife early Wednesday morning, and a possible weapon - a bloody hammer - was found at their Ewa Beach townhouse.

Sgt. 1st Class Lincoln Phillips was charged Saturday with second-degree attempted murder. He was arrested Friday, two days after his 36-year-old wife, Tara, was taken in extremely critical condition with severe head trauma to the Queen's Medical Center, where she remains.

Phillips, who made his initial appearance in court yesterday, is being held in lieu of $350,000 bail.

On Wednesday afternoon, police stated Phillips was not a suspect and had been cooperative, going to the Kapolei Police Station to give a statement.

Phillips initially told officers that an unknown person entered his home without permission and assaulted his wife, police said in an affidavit filed in court.

Phillips said he could not sleep and went for a drive at about 3 a.m. to buy liquor. He said that when he returned to their bedroom, he did not turn the lights on immediately and heard his wife having breathing problems, the police affidavit said. When he turned the lights on, he noticed the injuries to her head, police said.

Police found a hammer and Phillips' clothing stained with what appeared to be blood at the home located at 91-2006 Kaioli St., Unit 5004.

But police did not find any signs of forced entry or anything taken from the residence as an indication of a burglary.

Phillips allegedly gave inconsistent statements during the investigation about when he left his home and the nature of recent arguments with his wife, the police affidavit said.

Phillips' next-door neighbor told the Star-Bulletin he awoke to a loud thump coming from the other side of his bedroom wall, which divides his unit from the Phillipses' townhouse. He thought someone had fallen. He also said that he heard the couple arguing two days before.

Another witness told police that he was walking by the home at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday when he heard an argument coming from the upstairs of the home.

Phillips is stationed at Schofield Barracks and is with the 307th Signal Battalion, which provides signal support for a variety of locations across the Pacific.

According to a neighbor, the couple's two sons were staying with his family after the beating.