Wisconsin Man Stabbed Ex-Wife’s Friend Inside Bar, Told Police They Were ‘Lucky He Didn’t Kill the Guy’
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN — A 47-year-old Green Bay man is facing attempted first-degree intentional homicide charges after allegedly stabbing his ex-wife’s friend inside a local bar on Halloween night, telling officers afterward that the victim was “lucky” he didn’t kill him.
According to the Green Bay Police Department, officers responded to a stabbing at the Hammer Inn, a bar on the 1200 block of State Street, around 8:45 p.m. on Oct. 31. Witnesses said the suspect, identified as Robert Stanley Goodletson, confronted his ex-wife and her friend before the attack turned violent.
Confrontation Turns Into Attack
Police said the victim was inside the bar with Goodletson’s ex-wife when the suspect entered, saw them together, and immediately became enraged.
“Robert began yelling at me across the bar,” the victim told investigators. “I walked over to him and he grabbed me. I don’t remember how I got away, but I walked outside and was told I was bleeding.”
Responding officers found the victim outside the bar suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest and a deep laceration to the head. Emergency crews treated him at the scene before rushing him to St. Vincent Hospital, where he gave a full statement.
Suspect Found Behind Bar with Knife and Blood on Hands
Police located Goodletson moments later behind the Hammer Inn and took him into custody. He reportedly had blood on his hands and a sheathed knife on his belt.
During his arrest, Goodletson allegedly made several incriminating remarks — including acknowledging the stabbing and expressing no remorse.
“[He] told us the man was sleeping with his wife, and they weren’t even divorced,” officers wrote in the criminal complaint. “He said we were lucky he didn’t kill the guy.”
Goodletson also claimed he acted in self-defense, though police noted surveillance footage contradicted that account.
Surveillance Footage Shows Violent Confrontation
Video evidence reportedly shows Goodletson shouting “No f—ing way” after spotting the victim, then rapidly approaching him. The footage captures him pushing the man against a wall with his left hand while repeatedly stabbing him with the knife in his right hand, according to a report from WLUK-TV.
After the assault, Goodletson allegedly followed the bleeding victim outside before being apprehended.
Court Proceedings and Bond
Goodletson appeared in Brown County Court this week, where a judge set his bond at $250,000. He remains in custody at the Brown County Jail and is scheduled to return to court on November 18.
If convicted, Goodletson faces the possibility of life in prison for the attempted homicide charge.
A Night of Jealous Rage
Investigators said the attack appeared to be driven by jealousy and anger over Goodletson’s failed marriage. Officers described the scene inside the Hammer Inn as “chaotic and bloody,” with patrons fleeing as the stabbing unfolded.
“This was not a random act,” police said in a statement. “The suspect clearly targeted the victim in a fit of rage.”
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