KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
A man caught up in the search for a missing Northland infant now faces an unrelated stabbing charge.
Dane "Diggler" Greathouse, 28, has been charged with first-degree assault in connection with a weekend stabbing in Gladstone. Greathouse was someone that police had interviewed last fall about the disappearance of then 10-month-old Lisa Irwin.
Authorities say Greathouse stabbed a man at the Vienna Square Apartments at 64th Street and North Oak Trafficway about 5:45 a.m. Saturday.
The victim remains in the hospital in serious condition after his intestines were sliced, and Greathouse's bond has been set at $75,000.
During a hearing Wednesday morning, Greathouse pleaded not guilty. He will be back in court on March 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Police took Greathouse into custody at 7 a.m. Saturday. A pocket knife was recovered, according to court records. Greathouse allegedly told police that two men had been vandalizing his vehicle and he began fighting with them and stabbed one, according to court records. The injured man's friend pointed a handgun at Greathouse and he then fled the area, the suspect told police.
Greathouse told investigators he didn't call police because he feared a probation violation, but said he acted in self-defense, according to court documents.
Greathouse drew the attention of Kansas City police after Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, reported her missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 4. They said she was snatched from her crib while sleeping and their three cell phones were stolen.
Greathouse became embroiled in the search for Lisa because he had access to a cell phone that has a connection to the case.
Authorities wanted to know whether Greathouse had a phone in question when someone using Bradley's cell phone attempted to call a cell phone owned by Megan Wright at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3.
Wright said investigators have questioned her four times about a cell phone call made from one of Bradley's cell phones just a few hours before her daughter was reported missing.
Greathouse had access to Wright's phone and police wanted to know if the phone call was intended for him. Greathouse talked to police and reportedly has denied any involvement in Lisa's disappearance.
Kansas City Police Department Capt. Steve Young told KCTV5 Monday that investigators have "moved on" from Greathouse regarding the search for Lisa.
Young stressed that investigators could revisit Greathouse's connection to the case if information would warrant them doing so.
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Lisa's parents, said he believes the person who stole the cell phones also kidnapped Lisa.
Tacopina contends that the kidnapper stole Bradley's cell phone and used it to make a call at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3.
It is unclear as to whether it was a 50-second phone call, as Wright claimed, or was routed to a call center because of nonpayment as representatives for Lisa's parents claim.
Neighbors last November told KCTV5 that Greathouse's home had seen quite a bit of police activity since baby Lisa went missing and officers were inside his home for more than two hours in mid-November.
Greathouse is now being held at the Clay County Jail where another witness in the case, John "Jersey" Tanko, is also being housed as he waits sentencing on an unrelated charge. Tanko had dated Wright, had access to her phone and had done handy jobs in Lisa's neighborhood. He was also suspected of crimes in the neighborhood.
Police have talked to both Greathouse and Tanko. Neither man is considered a person of interest in Lisa's disappearance.
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Dane Greathouse, who is facing charges after a stabbing in Gladstone, was someone investigators wanted to question in the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin.
