Background: The Campbell County Courthouse in Gillette, Wyo. (Google Maps). Inset: Karla Smith after she was attacked by her son (GoFundMe).
A teenager from Wyoming, initially charged with attempted first-degree murder for stabbing his mother as she slept, will now plead guilty to a reduced charge.
At the age of 17, Tharles Smith stabbed his 42-year-old mother, Karla Smith, in the back with a knife in June 2024. As per court documents accessed by Gillette News Record, the incident occurred following family disputes over where the teenager would live if he continued to disobey household regulations. His parents informed law enforcement that Tharles had previously threatened his mother, saying he was “waiting until I am big enough to kill you.”
Local news source Cowboy State Daily reported through court documents that Tharles Smith was slated to be tried as an adult, but proceedings were deferred for a mental health evaluation by his defense team.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Now 18, Tharles Smith will plead guilty to attempted second-degree murder.
According to the Gillette News Record’s reporting, the family dispute concerning Tharles Smith’s behavior had been going on for several years leading up to the attack on his mother. He had reportedly threatened to kill both of his parents several times and engaged in cruelty toward animals “as a joke.”
Cowboy State Daily’s extensive reporting on the case described a troubled teenager and seemingly helpless parents trying to find a solution for his behavior. Karla Smith told the outlet that she had her son institutionalized when he was 16, but it only seemed to exacerbate his anger issues.
On the night of June 10, 2024, Tharles Smith was reportedly stewing in anger over his parents trying to move him out of their house. According to court documents, he told police that he was “too angry” to sleep that night and felt as if his parents “were trying to get rid of him.” While his parents slept, he took a knife with an 8-inch blade from the kitchen, sneaked into their bedroom, and drove the knife into his mother’s back near her shoulder blade.
More from Law&Crime: ‘Upset about being told she had to move out’: Daughter ‘went shopping’ after murdering father and attacking mother for evicting her
According to a GoFundMe page set up to help Karla Smith pay for her medical costs, she asked her son, “Why did you punch me?”
He reportedly responded, “No, you actually have a knife in your back. I stabbed you.”
To raise funds, Karla Smith also reportedly raffled off her son’s pig, putting that money toward her medical bills.
The knife broke two of her ribs, went through her scapula, and collapsed her lung. She spent two days in intensive care. Court documents stated that the doctor who treated her said she was “lucky” to be alive.
Just under a year after the attack, Tharles Smith will plead guilty to attempted second-degree murder. He is expected to be sentenced later this year.
