Arrest report for Leitchfield man charged with murder says he shot man because he felt ‘threatened’ because victim was holding a BB gun

james-garrett-06-22
james-garrett-06-22

The Leitchfield man accused of shooting and killing 37-year-old David J. Smith, also of Leitchfield, at a home on Lashley Street on Wednesday night, admitted to the crime under questioning.

The arrest report for 39-year-old James Garrett says Garrett told investigators the two men had been drinking beer earlier in the evening. According to the report, Garrett told Kentucky State Police Detective Adam Hutchison and Leitchfield officer Jesse Townsend that Smith left the home and came back 45 minutes later.

Garrett said the security light in his backyard came on, alerting him to Smith’s presence. Garrett “grabbed his homemade 12 gauge slap gun because he was paranoid,” according to the report. He went to his back door and saw Smith standing in the yard with a BB gun. When Garrett entered the backyard, he stated Smith said, “I got you,” with Garrett indicating that the comment made him feel “threatened.”

Garrett then shot Smith once, reentered his home and reloaded the gun before going back outside and shooting Smith again as he lay on the ground.

Garrett then approached a female in his driveway and demanded her cell phone, saying, “Give me your cell phone or I’ll kill you, you just witnessed me shoot somebody.” The woman gave Garrett her phone and ran away. She then alerted a neighbor to the incident and asked that they call 911.

After stealing the woman’s cell phone, Garrett fled the area, tossing his gun and ammunition in a nearby pond before calling central dispatch and turning himself in to authorities.

Garrett is lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center where he’s charged with murder, robbery, tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The scene on Lashley Street on Wednesday night as police investigated the shooting
EMS leaving the scene with the mortally wounded victim

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000