A Gassville man, 36-year-old Mitchell Smithey, has been arrested and charged with a felony count of terroristic threatening in connection with a domestic dispute in which he allegedly beat and threatened to kill his wife using an iron skillet, razor blade and laundry detergent as weapons.
According to the probable cause affidavit, officers met Smithey’s wife at a Gassville convenience store in the early morning hours of Oct. 10th. The woman had escaped from her husband, after asking him what it would take for him to stop the alleged beating. In response, he reportedly told her to go and purchase cigarettes while he determined what he would do when she returned.
Officers observed the woman’s face being swollen and a large bruised lump on her forehead, as well as a bloody spot on her hand and swelling to her arm. She said her husband had allegedly been beating her for a while that evening and was threatening to kill her.
She said Smithey was swinging an iron skillet, which she was able to evade, except when he struck her arm. He then reportedly bit her hand causing it to bleed. He also took away her phone, preventing her from calling for help.
As she left to get Smithey’s cigarettes, she said he told her, “Better be careful what you do. It determines if you will still have a life or not.”
Officers followed the woman to her residence to retrieve her children. When they arrived, the living room lights were off. At the front door, they heard a loud noise and rustling of leaves from the west side of the house.
Officers noticed a window open on the back of the residence and the screen bent outward, as though someone had jumped from the window.
A search of the residence was unsuccessful in locating Smithey.
On Oct. 16th, officers went to a residence along North School Place in Gassville to arrest Smithey on the domestic battery case. They discovered a hole cut in the floor of the bathroom leading to the crawlspace of the residence.
Smithey was located in the crawlspace, but would not come out at the urging of officers. When warned a K9 from the Mountain Home Police Department would be used, Smithey came out and turned himself over to law enforcement.
That evening the victim told officers on the night of the dispute, she was in bed with one of her children, when she was awakened by Smithey holding a razor blade to her face. He reportedly told his wife if she didn’t want her kid to see what was about to happen, she better get up.
He allegedly said he would disfigure her face to the point no one would want her. At this point, he reportedly began to beat her throughout the house. She said at one point, he held her down and dumped a bottle of laundry detergent in her face and mouth. While she attempted to gasp for air, he attempted to choke her from behind in a headlock. She also stated Smithey tried to hold both of his hands over her mouth and nose in an attempt to stop her from breathing.
In addition to the felony charge, Smithey faces seven misdemeanor counts. His bond was set at $10,000, and he is to have no contact with the victim or the children.
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