TOOELE, Utah — A man died after being stabbed late Sunday night in Tooele, and police have arrested a 21-year-old man as the suspect.
Tooele City Police said officers responded to a home near 100 N. 100 East around 11:15 p.m. after they heard someone calling for help. They found a 54-year-old man lying on the side of the road with stab wounds and covered in blood. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but later died from his injuries.
During the investigation, 21-year-old Isaac Daniel Gary Smith called 911 and said the 54-year-old had attacked him, so Smith stabbed him.
Smith was taken into custody, and police then searched the house. They said they found a folding knife about 5-6 inches long with blood on it. They also found a blood trail leading from the spot where the victim was found to inside the house.
Police learned that Smith lived in the house with his mother and nobody else. They talked to his mom, who said the victim was a friend who came to visit that day. After the victim left and the suspect's mother left for work, she said the victim called her and said he thought he had left his wallet. She said he could return to her home to look for it while Smith was still there.
Smith's mom said there were no prior issues between Smith and the victim, and no trouble between the two that day while the victim was visiting. However, she said she called her son to tell him that the victim was returning to look for his wallet, and told Smith to not cause any problems. She said she did this because she was worried about Smith's mental illness (which was not specified) and said she had feared for her own safety because of violent outbursts in the past.
Smith talked to police and told them the victim returned to look for his wallet but was acting "shady." He said he confronted the victim, who denied any "shady" behavior and then offered Smith a cigarette. Smith said that while the victim was doing so, he reached for Smith's wrist with his other hand. He said this caused him to panic and he felt the need to defend himself, so he stabbed the victim in the neck or head area. He said the victim then charged at him, so he stabbed him again multiple times.
Smith was booked on a 1st-degree felony count of murder and is being held in the Tooele County Jail without bail.
The victim's name has not been released.
