Within the years earlier than he was accused of operating down and stabbing an Orange County bicyclist in a surprising, apparently unprompted assault, Vanroy Evan Smith struggled along with his psychological well being, in keeping with his household and courtroom data.
In a petition filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom in December in search of full custody of their two youngsters, Smith’s ex-wife wrote that the 39-year-old was “recognized with paranoid schizophrenia and bi-polar dysfunction.”
A member of the family, who spoke to The Instances on situation of anonymity due to fears for his or her security, mentioned the prognosis got here after an incident in 2020 that drew police to Smith’s house in Lengthy Seaside. In that incident, Smith allegedly attacked his pal, who was making an attempt to subdue him throughout a psychological well being episode, in keeping with the relative. Smith was hospitalized and launched after a couple of days.
“He’s attacking, not realizing that we’re making an attempt to assist him,” the relative mentioned.
Within the baby custody papers, Smith’s ex-wife wrote that he “destroyed property at his house in a violent psychological well being episode.”
On Dec. 19, 2020, Lengthy Seaside cops have been referred to as at about 12:12 p.m. to Smith’s house on the 6400 block of Atlantic Avenue after receiving studies of a “violent, mentally sick particular person,” in keeping with a abstract of the decision obtained by The Instances.
“Upon arrival, officers contacted a male grownup topic who was inside a residence inflicting property injury and was concerned in an altercation with an acquaintance,” in keeping with the abstract.
Firefighters took Smith to a hospital, the place he was positioned on a “5150 maintain,” that means he was detained for 72 hours after he was believed to be a hazard to himself, or others, as a result of a psychological well being dysfunction.
Now, Smith is suspected of placing Dr. Michael John Mammone, 58, along with his white Lexus on Feb. 1 whereas Mammone was using his bicycle in Dana Level, Orange County sheriff’s officers mentioned. Smith then acquired out of the automobile and repeatedly stabbed Mammone with a knife, authorities mentioned.
Mammone died at Windfall Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, the place he generally labored as an emergency room doctor, deputies mentioned.
Smith was pinned down by bystanders, who had rushed to assist Mammone after the assault, in keeping with authorities. A knife, believed to have been used within the assault, was recovered on the scene.
Investigators usually are not conscious of a connection between Smith and Mammone and are nonetheless making an attempt to find out what prompted the assault.
“An harmless man is useless as a result of he took a motorcycle experience to take pleasure in an exquisite California day alongside the seaside and he was hit with a automobile and stabbed to demise by somebody he apparently by no means met,” Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer mentioned in a information launch final week. “The homicide of an entire stranger in broad daylight for what seems to be completely no motive is the stuff of nightmares.”
Dr. Michael John Mammone, 58, was killed final week whereas using his bicycle in Dana Level.
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Smith pleaded not responsible Friday to a homicide cost and a sentencing enhancement alleging private use of a lethal weapon, in keeping with Orange County Superior Courtroom data. Smith, who’s listed as unemployed in jail data, is being held on $1-million bail.
If convicted, Smith faces a most sentence of 25 years to life in jail.
Smith was born and raised in Jamaica and moved to the U.S. round 2008 after getting married, the member of the family mentioned. After his divorce in 2012, he stayed within the Lengthy Seaside space to assist take care of his youngsters. Smith had his personal accounting enterprise and lived alone.
Alexander Solhi, whose legislation agency is in the identical constructing as Smith’s accounting enterprise, mentioned Smith did his agency’s bookkeeping for at the very least two years. Smith attended two of the agency’s Christmas events and would sometimes exit to dinner with Solhi, he mentioned.
“He was a really well mannered, good man,” Solhi mentioned. “He didn’t seem to be a violent man by any means. There have been no harmful propensities that will stick out. That’s why I used to be fairly shocked to see it was him doing that. Positively fully out of character.”
By late 2019 and early 2020, Solhi mentioned, Smith appeared more and more strained.
“He regarded very burdened and never snug in his personal pores and skin,” Sohli mentioned. “I couldn’t differentiate if it was work-related. He had two youngsters, however it appeared prefer it was very peaceable between him and his ex-wife.”
Solhi final noticed Smith a few 12 months in the past, when Smith advised him that he was vacating the constructing and was going to earn a living from home.
Smith’s member of the family who spoke to The Instances mentioned they hadn’t seen Smith since round Thanksgiving. Two days earlier than Mammone’s killing, the member of the family mentioned, they reached out to Smith by textual content to verify in.
“I mentioned, ‘Is there something we will do? We wish to show you how to,’ ” the relative mentioned. “He was very calm and mentioned, ‘No, I’m OK. I’ll allow you to guys know if I need assistance.’ That was it.”
The household is devastated about what occurred.
“The one that he was is gone,” Smith’s member of the family mentioned. “There’s no getting back from this example.”
Family and friends of Mammone, in the meantime, have struggled with the lack of their beloved one and are nonetheless looking for solutions.
Dr. William Dodge grew to become shut associates with Mammone whereas the 2 labored within the emergency division at Windfall Mission Hospital in Laguna Seaside.
Mammone lined the night time shifts and earned a popularity as a level-headed, thorough and type physician.
“He had the popularity of being a pleasant man, a cool man who would bend over backwards for his sufferers and go the additional mile,” Dodge mentioned.
“Your entire Mission Hospital household is grieving over the lack of an unbelievable doctor and pal,” representatives for the hospital wrote in an announcement final week. “We’ll honor Dr. Mammone’s dedication to our neighborhood and fervour for drugs.”
