Alleged K9 stabbing suspect charged with father’s murder
Ryan Mitchell Smith was arrested and charged with robbing two people
By Web Staff
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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The 26-year-old man who led police on a manhunt and was already accused of stabbing a Houston police K-9 has been charged in his father’s murder.
Ryan Smith’s father was found dead earlier this week.
According to court documents obtained by ABC13 overnight, Smith allegedly “murdered his father shortly after stabbing a police K-9 while trying to escape from a robbery.”
Along with murder, Smith’s new charge includes evading arrest. It’s unclear when he’ll face a judge for the last charges.
Smith is at the center of a bizarre chain of events that started over the weekend, when Smith’s mother called police saying her son left and went looking for guns, talking about killing himself.
A couple hours later Smith was arrested, charged with robbing two people, stabbing a Houston police K-9, and evading arrest. A family member paid his $50,000 bond.
Once Smith bonded out, he went to stay at his father’s house in the Memorial area, according to police. Family members were concerned when they didn’t hear from him so they checked the home on Monday and so did police, but nothing was found.
Police spotted Smith in his father’s pick-up truck nearby, with the lights on. That’s when he drove off and led officers on a chase. According to police he ditched the truck and took off on foot near Memorial Park.
Meanwhile, police searched the house in the Memorial area a second time early Tuesday and found his father’s body in the garage.
Several hours later, the manhunt for Smith ended when he was found walking on Highway 159 in Austin County and was arrested.
Smith was held without bond on his charges and brought in for questioning about his father.
By Thursday morning, he had been charged with murder.
ABC13 spoke exclusively to Smith’s attorney, who claims the young man is suffering from mental health issues.
“He has rights. His family and his friends care about him, and we just want to get him help,” said attorney Ralph Manginello.
Manginello said Smith spoke to investigators without him present, which he is concerned about because of his mental health.
“As you know, a representative person, can’t be asked questions unless their attorney is there. So it’s concerning, yes,” Manginello said.
ABC13 reached out to Houston police for a comment. A spokesperson said because it’s an ongoing investigation, they can’t comment further.
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