A domestic disturbance between a former married couple landed a Carter County Sheriff’s deputy in the Murray County Jail last week, according to authorities.
Gary Jacob Smith, 37, was arrested and charged after he allegedly entered his ex-wife’s home without her permission, and shoved her onto a recliner, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The incident was investigated by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department due the ex-wife’s NativeAmerican status. Smith was charged last Monday in Murray County District Court with first degree burglary and domestic abuse assault and battery.
According to court records, the couple divorced in May and had children together.
According to the affidavit, Lighthorse Police responded to the disturbance about 1:30 a.m. on June 30, on Tulsa Avenue in Sulphur, and were told by Smith’s ex-wife he was going to kill himself on his birthday (July 4) if she didn’t give him another chance.
Smith’s ex-wife told authorities he was upset about the divorce and wanted to get back together, but when she told him “no,” according to the document, he left the residence.
She said in the affidavit she became upset when he returned to the residence with an open container of alcohol in his car, replying to her, “I don’t give a s---, I got a badge, I can do what I want.”
After Smith calmed down, the pair went to a neighbor’s home where, according to the affidavit, Smith continued to drink, then became upset with his ex-wife again, got into his car and began driving away as she kept telling him not to drink and drive.
According to the document, Smith told his ex-wife he was going to the couple’s old residence where he said, “I’m going to kill myself with your .16 gauge.”
When he arrived at the residence, he called his ex-wife, and she could hear the beeping sound of the gun safe combination being entered, according to the document.
“Please don’t do this, I’m not worth it...Losing me is not worth taking your own life,” she told him over the phone, the document stated.
His ex-wife said in the affidavit he replied by saying, “I can’t drink you away, I can’t get you off my mind. Tell me you love me right now or I’m going to do it.”
When his ex-wife told him again she was not going to take him back, she heard over the phone what she described in the affidavit as a shotgun going off and then it became “quiet.”
According to the affidavit, Smith’s ex-wife tried calling him multiple times, before he finally returned her call.
After talking to him, she said in the document she locked both doors of her residence, turned off all the lights, grabbed her pistol, and sat in her recliner.
He then returned to her residence, entered the pass code to the door lock and came in without her permission, she told authorities.
According to the document, Smith’s ex-wife said she wasn’t hurt in the ensuing disturbance, but told authorities she was scared of her former husband.“The look in his eyes, I thought he was really gong to hurt me, ...” she said in the affidavit.
She told Lighthorse officer Louis Aquila she did want to press charges against Smith and filled out a Domestic Violence Risk Assessment screening form in which she answered yes to a number of questions. A witness also gave authorities a statement.
Smith was then arrested and processed into Murray County Jail.
He told deputies the disturbance was only verbal and that his ex-wife eventually said he could come in the residence. He was also asked about the shotgun sound his ex-wife heard over the phone and he said he threw an M1000 firework into the pool, saying he never fired the shotgun.
Carter County sheriff DJ Long called the situation heartbreaking, especially since kids are involved and said that Smith is now on paid administrative leave, according to KXII.com.
