Monday, July 19, 2010
Lawrenceburg Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Ex Wife
A Lawrenceburg man was arrested on attempted first degree murder charges during the weekend after he allegedly attacked his ex-wife at her home, slashing her face with a knife.
Reports filed through the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department show that units were dispatched to a home on Old Jackson Highway in Loretto at around 2:30 a.m. When they arrived, deputies found that the female resident, age 37, had sustained a large laceration to the left side of her face.
The victim told deputies she had been sleeping when she began to hear a tapping sound at her bedroom window. She said that the knocking continued for several minutes, so she arose and looked outside. When she saw nothing but continued to hear the sound, she said she opened the back door and stepped onto the porch.
At that point, the victim said, she was grabbed; a knife thrust against her throat. She told deputies her ex-husband, Paul Dan Smith, age 48, of 809 Third Avenue, Lawrenceburg, held her at knife point while making threats. She stated that he had been harassing her for the past few months, sending her flowers and letters, and calling her repeatedly.
According to the victim, Smith told her “if he couldn’t have her no one else was going to either.” She said that he stated, “No one would want you with a messed up face,” then cut her with the knife. She said he fled from the premises when a car passed by.
The investigating deputy signed warrants against Smith, charging him with attempted first degree murder. Although he was unable to locate Smith at that time, he was later apprehended, and booked through the Lawrence County Jail on the charge.
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