Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- A 21-year-old Tooele man, Isaac Smith, was arrested and accused of killing his mother's friend, 54.
- Smith said the man was acting "shady" before the stabbing, but made no threats, according to a police booking affidavit.
- Smith's mother expressed concerns about her son's mental health and past violent outbursts.
TOOELE — A man was arrested early Monday for investigation of murder after police say he stabbed his mother's friend to death because he thought he was acting "shady."
Late Sunday, police responded to a call for help and found a stabbing victim "covered in blood lying on the shoulder of the street" near a home at 96 N. 100 East, according to a police booking affidavit.
Soon after, Isaac Daniel Gary Smith, 21, of Tooele, called 911 and alleged his mother's friend attacked him at the home and that Smith then stabbed the man in the neck, face and head, the affidavit says.
Police told Smith to leave the home, where he was then detained.
The 54-year-old man who had been stabbed was taken to a hospital, where he died soon after. His name has not yet been released.
Investigators reported finding blood in the street in front of the home, as well as an unlocked car with the stabbing victim's phone and wallet. Police found a trail of blood from where the man was found in the street leading up the sidewalk and porch stairs, front porch and into the home's entryway, living room, a hallway and bedroom, the affidavit states.
Police said they found a black 5- to 6-inch folded knife that had blood on it on a living room table.
Smith's mother, who lives at the home with him, told police that the victim is "a childhood friend who visits infrequently but did come to the residence (Sunday) to visit before the mother left for work. The mother reported no past or present known issues between Mr. Smith and the victim, and that Mr. Smith seemed unaffected by the victim's visit," police wrote in the affidavit.
The mother said that after she left for work, the childhood friend told her he may have left his wallet at her home. She told the friend that although she was at work, her son was still home, and the friend could return to look for his wallet.
"The mother added that she specifically told Mr. Smith not to cause any problems with the victim because the mother has been concerned about Mr. Smith's mental illness (currently unverified), which the mother reported has caused her to fear for her own safety due to past, unreported violent outbursts resulting in property damage," according to the arrest report.
When police interviewed Smith at the police station, they said Smith's "hands were stained with presumed blood."
"Mr. Smith stated that the victim returned at about midnight. Mr. Smith indicated that he opened the door for the victim, recognized him, and allowed the victim into the residence," according to the affidavit. But Smith claimed the victim was "acting shady as if he was looking for more than he should be."
Smith said the victim "denied the 'shady' behavior, then tried to offer Mr. Smith cigarettes with his right hand. Mr. Smith stated that, while being approached by the victim, the victim reached for Mr. Smith's right wrist with the victim's empty left hand, which Mr. Smith alleged caused him to panic and feel the need to defend himself by pulling a knife from his back right pocket and stabbing the victim (with his right hand) in their neck/head area," police said.
Smith said the victim had not said anything immediately before "that would reasonably suggest an imminent threat of serious injury or death legitimately posed by the victim to Mr. Smith," police noted, adding that Smith said the other man had never threatened him.
"Mr. Smith stated that after he first stabbed the victim, the victim 'rushed' him, which Mr. Smith stated he perceived as an escalation by the victim, so Mr. Smith continued attempting to stab the victim (with his right hand) multiple times in the head, neck and stomach," the affidavit states. "When asked if, rather than attacking Mr. Smith, the victim could have been trying to escape from the bedroom where he had been stabbed, Mr. Smith acknowledged that it could have been the case."
Smith indicated that he has "mental illness" and takes medication for it. "Mr. Smith indicated that he consumed marijuana before the victim came to visit his mother, and then again before the victim returned later," the affidavit states.
