Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have arrested 40-year-old Terrence Demar Smith on allegations of threatening to kill his girlfriend’s roommate. In addition, Smith faces charges related to a 2022 incident in which he allegedly assaulted another girlfriend by choking and stomping on her.

The arrest took place after an officer from the Gainesville Police Department responded to a call at Gainesville Place Apartments, located at 2800 SW 35th Place, on the night of January 24. According to the report, the victim claimed that her roommate’s boyfriend, Smith, had threatened her life and had access to a firearm.

Smith has reportedly been residing with his girlfriend—one of the apartment’s four roommates—for approximately two years. The victim has repeatedly voiced her concerns to the leasing office over Smith’s threatening behavior, emphasizing that he was not listed on the lease. However, the leasing office advised her to direct her complaints to the police.

Earlier that day, the victim approached the leasing office once again to report Smith’s unauthorized residence. Upon her return, a confrontation ensued with Smith and his girlfriend. During this altercation, Smith allegedly threatened her, saying, “I’m going to shoot you in the face, spit on you, and get people to beat you up.” As the victim attempted to leave, Smith purportedly warned that they would be waiting when she returned.

The victim also disclosed that she knew of a gun being stored in Smith’s bedroom. At the time of the alleged threats, Smith was reportedly standing 10 to 15 feet away from his room.

Smith’s girlfriend reportedly denied that Smith made any threats toward the victim and said she owned a firearm that was kept in various locations in her bedroom and bathroom; when asked whether Smith, a convicted felon, knew she had a firearm, his girlfriend reportedly said she “didn’t know” and “would not answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’” Smith’s girlfriend also reportedly said she did not not know whether Smith’s DNA would be found on the gun.

Post Miranda, Smith reportedly denied making any threats toward the victim and said he just told her to “please keep his name out of her mouth.” He reportedly admitted to knowing that his girlfriend had a gun and said she’d had it since September 2025, but he later said he didn’t know anything about the gun.

The officer noted that Smith had been using the apartment’s address as his primary address for over two years, so it was “unlikely that [Smith] was unaware a firearm was located inside the residence.”

Smith’s girlfriend reportedly gave consent to the officer to retrieve the firearm, and a pistol was found in a drawer, next to a loaded magazine.

Smith has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and simple assault; he was also booked on a 2023 warrant for allegedly choking and stomping on a girlfriend in September 2022. He has at least eight felony convictions (one violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (two violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2014. Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard set bail at $105,000 on the new charges and $25,000 on the charge from the 2022 incident.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.