MILLER, Mo. — A Miller man has been charged in connection with a stabbing that happened behind the dumpsters at a gas station.

According to court records, Thomas Lee, 55, has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

A probable cause statement from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office shows that deputies responded to a medical call involving a stabbing on March 19 at 1:30 a.m.

Deputies found two men inside a residence with stab wounds. One man was on the floor and had a single wound in his left rib. The other was on the couch and had two stab wounds on his left rib and another on his left forearm.

The man on the couch told deputies that he and the other victim saw Lee near the dumpsters at a Casey’s General Store in Miller. When they approached Lee to see what was going on, he started stabbing both men.

According to court documents, deputies later made contact with Lee at his home. Lee cooperated, telling deputies the knife was inside a small Clorox bottle filled with bleach.

Lee also told deputies that he frequents the dumpsters near Casey’s to retrieve thrown-out pizzas to feed his dogs. Lee stated he pulled up to the dumpsters and saw the two men, overhearing them saying, “this isn’t your wife,” and “I told you it’s not your wife.”

Lee said he knew one of the men, who approached him and told him to get away from the dumpsters. Lee told deputies he agreed to leave, but the two men attacked him, flicking a lit cigarette butt at him and punching him in the face.

Court documents show that Lee told deputies he doesn’t remember grabbing his knife, but knew it ended up in his hands and that he was defending himself with it. Lee said he was unsure whether he struck anyone.

Lee is currently in Lawrence County Jail without bond.