A Wyoming teenager who was charged with attempted first-degree murder for stabbing his mother in the back while she slept will plead guilty to a lesser offense.
Tharles Smith, 17, plunged a knife into his mother, Karla Smith, 42,’s shoulder blade in June 2024. According to court documents obtained by the Gillette News Record, the family had been arguing about where the allegedly disruptive teen should live if he continued to violate household rules. At one point, his parents told police that he told his mother that he “was waiting until I am big enough to kill you.”
According to court documents obtained by the local news outlet Cowboy State Daily, Tharles Smith was scheduled to be tried as an adult for the crime, but his defense team postponed the trial until the teenager underwent a mental evaluation.
Tharles Smith, 18, will plead guilty to attempted second-degree murder.
According to the Gillette News Record, the family dispute over Tharles Smith’s behavior had been ongoing for several years prior to the attack on his mother. He allegedly threatened to kill both of his parents several times and was cruel to animals “as a joke.”
Cowboy State Daily’s extensive coverage of the case depicted a troubled teenager and seemingly helpless parents attempting 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 worsened his anger issues.
Tharles Smith was reportedly furious on the night of June 10, 2024, after his parents attempted to move him out of their home. According to court documents, he told police that he was “too angry” to sleep that night and that his parents “were trying to get rid of him.” While his parents were sleeping, he took an 8-inch knife from the kitchen, sneaked into their bedroom, and stabbed his mother in the back near her shoulder blade.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to help Karla Smith pay for her medical bills, she asked her son, “Why did you punch me?”
He reportedly said, “No, you have a knife in your back.” “I stabbed you.
Karla Smith reportedly raffled off her son’s pig to raise money for her medical bills.
The knife shattered two of her ribs, pierced her scapula, and collapsed her lung. She spent two days in intensive care. According to court documents, the doctor who treated her said she was “lucky” to still be alive.
Tharles Smith will plead guilty to attempted second-degree murder less than a year after the attack. He’s expected to be sentenced later this year.
