FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV) – Authorities in Fond du Lac say a man from Chicago has now been convicted of Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide and Mayhem following an incident in January 2023.
According to a release from the Fond du Lac District Attorney’s Office, a 39-year-old woman (at the time) came to the Fond du Lac Police Department at 3:30 a.m. on January 7, 2023, to report a domestic abuse incident.
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Officials say a significant cut on her wrist and a large 4 to 5-inch cut across the middle of her neck could be seen leading to her being taken to St. Agnes for treatment.
While at the hospital, she told police that she and the suspect, Lataye Smith from Chicago, had gotten into a verbal argument in their apartment on the 100 block of Main Street. The victim reported that the suspect often becomes aggressive after drinking and in this instance had reportedly threatened to kill her.
While leaving the apartment to go smoke in her vehicle, the victim says she coughed in the hallway of the apartment and believes that the suspect had thought she said something to him. After getting into the vehicle, the suspect allegedly approached the door of the vehicle aggressively with clenched fists, opened the door, and questioned what the victim had said.
Officers reported that the woman admitted to laughing at Smith stating that she had just coughed leading to him again threatening the victim’s life and grabbing her wrist in what is believed to have led to the first cut.
The victim then reported that Smith had grabbed her head and she felt something sharp go across her neck several times while he continued to yell repeated threats and “I love you” at her.
After breaking free from Smith, police report that she had asked him if he cut her, which he allegedly admitted he did. The victim says she saw a box cutter in his hand and she then ran from the suspect on foot to the Fond du Lac Police Department.
Officers say Smith had been physical with the victim in the past, strangling the victim on two separate occasions and reportedly saying that he would put them both in an “eternal sleep” (meaning death) just three days before the incident.
Smith was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lake Regional Fugitive Task Force on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
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A jury trial for Smith and his alleged actions in this incident began on March 10 and ended on March 14 with the jury convicting Smith of the following:
- Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide with a Dangerous Weapon
- Mayhem with a Dangerous Weapon
- Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
All three charges are said to include a domestic abuse enhancer and Smith now faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 80 years in prison.
The victim heroically fought off the defendant and showed her bravery at trial by testifying and telling the jury how the defendant tried to kill her. I couldn’t be more proud of her bravery and courage as well as the work of the City of Fond du Lac Police Department for their investigation, which lead to these convictions. If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone and help is available through the national Domestic Violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 and the local Solutions Center hotline: 920-923-1700.
District Attorney Eric Toney
No additional information is available at this time. Local Five will update this story should additional details be released.
