Man killed at Tacoma homeless camp was stabbed after entering suspect’s tent, charges say
A 63-year-old man residing at a tent encampment under an Interstate 5 overpass in Tacoma was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday for allegedly using a knife to kill a man who entered his tent.
Garry Heroshi Smith was charged in Pierce County Superior Court with two counts of second-degree murder for the Dec. 27 fatal stabbing near the intersection of East Bay and 28th streets, just north of the Emerald Queen Casino.
The 64-year-old victim is identified in charging papers only by the initials R.G. Police noted there was a large homeless population in the area.
The defendant pleaded not guilty at arraignment Wednesday afternoon, and Judge Philip Sorensen set bail at $1 million. According to court records, Smith has criminal history in South Carolina. Prosecutors said during the arraignment hearing that Smith was convicted of first-degree assault and kidnapping in 1984. He also has four misdemeanor convictions for trespassing in Tacoma from 2017 to 2019.
Smith entered unrestrained in an orange Pierce County Jail uniform. Arguing for $1 million bail, prosecutors said the state considered him a flight risk because he is transient, and they noted his criminal history includes nine arrests.
Smith was arrested on New Year’s Day after Tacoma Police Department investigators viewed surveillance video from the Emerald Queen Casino, according to the declaration for determination of probable cause. The footage allegedly showed Smith leaving his tent on the sidewalk of the overpass for about a minute at 10:53 p.m. He walked north past several tents and didn’t interact with anyone before returning to his own.
Moments later, R.G. can be seen walking south on the sidewalk. He entered Smith’s tent, and he exited about a minute later clutching his chest. Prosecutors wrote in charging papers that he staggered down the sidewalk a few feet and then collapsed. Records state no one else entered the tent in the minute the victim was inside.
Police were dispatched to the area at about 11:08 p.m., and arriving officers saw a witness trying to perform CPR on the victim, who was lying on his back on the northwest corner of the intersection’s sidewalk. Tacoma Fire Department personnel transported R.G. to St. Joseph’s Medical Center, where he was declared dead.
R.G.’s cause of death was confirmed to be a stab wound to the chest by the medical examiner’s office, court records state.
One witness who said he didn’t know the victim by name but had seen him in the area told police he was standing outside his tent at the time of the stabbing. He said the man walked past him and said he had firewood at his spot and would bring some. R.G. reportedly walked north, and within two minutes the witness heard the man moaning and saw him fall to the ground.
Officers found a knife next to R.G., according to the probable cause document, but investigators don’t believe it was used in the homicide because it was sheathed and didn’t have blood on it. His wallet was also found nearby.
Police also spoke to the man who was seen performing CPR on the victim. He denied knowing him, records state, saying he was walking back from getting a cigarette when he saw the man on the ground. Asked if he knew who stabbed him, he said he wanted to remain anonymous. Officers later detained him when he tried to leave the scene, and he was reportedly arrested on outstanding warrants.
Smith was arrested Monday when detectives approached his tent and asked him to come outside, according to the probable cause document. He was arrested without incident. Prosecutors wrote in charging papers that Smith was wearing a reflective construction vest that matched one from the scene of the homicide. The defendant refused to answer questions and requested an attorney when he was brought to police headquarters.
A search warrant was later served on Smith’s tent. Inside, detectives reportedly found a multi-tool with a knife blade, another construction vest and an EBT card with Smith’s name on it.
This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 2:25 PM.
