Dad stabs to death father-in-law while 13-year-old son sleeps in next room (Cutler, Georgia)

Dad GERALD A. SMITH has been charged with aggravated murder charges in the stabbing death of his father-in-law. Daddy broke into the father-in-law's house and killed the man while his 13-year-old son was asleep in the next room . As you might have guess, his upcoming divorce had put Daddy into a rather cranky mood. Imagine that. Why would the mother would want to divorce such a charming guy? An alcoholic, cocaine abuser, lots of arrests for domestic violence and assault--Daddy had it all. Wonder why those arrests never turned in any convictions? If they had, then maybe the father-in-law would still be alive.

Also a sad reminder that most of the men who die in incidents of domestic violence die at the hands of other men.

http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/522756.html?nav=5002

Cutler man murdered: Son-in-law accused of fatal steak knife stabbing
POSTED: June 21, 2010
BRAD BAUER The Marietta Times

A Cutler man is expected to answer to aggravated murder charges today in Marietta Municipal Court after he was accused Saturday of breaking into a home at 1270 Burnett Road, Cutler, and killing his father-in-law, Homer L. Rogers, 66.

A Cutler man is accused of stabbing and killing his father-in-law with a steak knife as his 13-year-old son slept in a nearby bedroom, according to Washington County sheriff's officials.

Killed was Homer L. Rogers, 66, of 1270 Burnett Road, Cutler. He was found dead at his home around 9 a.m. Saturday by his daughter, Cindy Smith, of 390 Kennedy Road, according to police reports.

Smith called 911, telling police her father had been violently stabbed in the neck and that she believed her husband, Gerald A. Smith, 49, had committed the act. She also reported her father's pickup truck was missing from the home.

"I believe the victim lived alone and his daughter stopped by just to check on him. I believe she helps take care of him," Mincks said. "Also, I believe she had reason to stop because her 13-year-old son had spent the night there."

Mincks said the child was still in bed at the time Rogers' body was discovered.

The incident is the second fatal stabbing in Washington County in less than a week. On June 13, a 19-year-old Athens man died after he was stabbed in the leg during a fight that broke out at a high school graduation party near Belpre. Charges have yet to be filed in that case.

Mincks said Gerald Smith was located around 4 p.m. Saturday at a campsite at Strouds Run State Park near Athens. Although he had a loaded handgun with him at the time of his arrest, he did not offer any resistance. Rogers' pickup truck was located nearby, according to officers.

Mincks said he could not disclose how Smith was located and he declined to say if Smith made any incriminating statements.

"We did recover a steak knife from the pickup that resembles ones we found during the execution of a search warrant at the Smith home," Mincks said. "We believe it was the knife used to commit the murder."

According to Mincks, a preliminary autopsy report that was released Sunday confirmed Rogers died of a single stab to the neck sometime between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Friday night or Saturday morning.

On Sunday, several people gathered at the Rogers home, located near Cutler. None of the people there wanted to comment publicly on the murder or arrest.

Mincks said he suspects the murder was related to relationship problems between Gerald and Cindy Smith.

"There was a divorce anticipated, or in the process, and I believe those domestic problems are linked somehow to what happened," he said. "Also, (Gerald Smith) has quite a past with us. We've arrested him five times in the past for domestic violence, also for two other assault charges, including one (involving a gun). He has a very violent history, a history of crack cocaine abuse and I've heard reports he was drinking heavily at the time."

Mincks said the killing appears to have been planned out in advance, meaning the case could be indicted with provisions for the death penalty.

"That will be left up to (Washington County Prosecutor Jim) Schneider," Mincks said.

Smith is being held in the Washington County jail without bond, pending a Monday arraignment. He is charged with a single count of aggravated murder.

"The reason we charged this as aggravated murder is because we believe there were other crimes being committed," Mincks said. "He broke into this residence, went up and used a knife (on Rogers) in the middle of the night. We feel this was a premeditated act."