Cocoa man had 'calculated' plan to kill jogger, hide body in bedroom closet, Brevard investigators say
An 18-year-old Cocoa man remains jailed after investigators said he ambushed a jogger Sunday after watching a violent movie and making plans to kill the man and keep the body in his bedroom closet, reports show.
The jogger, who is trained in martial arts, was able to free himself from a cloth robe belt that the man – identified as Logan William Smith – threw around his neck.
The jogger was not seriously injured.
Smith was charged with attempted murder and was taken into custody by Brevard County sheriff’s investigators a short time after the attack. Investigators did not say what movie Smith said he watched before the incident.
Motorist charged in deadly crash: Cocoa police charge motorist in crash that killed mother of six and prompted campaign by sibling for arrest
Search warrant has deadly ending: Person of interest in woman's death at West Melbourne hotel dies of self-inflicted gunshot, police say
The attack — called ‘calculated’ by Brevard sheriff’s investigators — happened Sunday as the unidentified jogger was nearing the intersection of Batavia Avenue and Kings Highway in Cocoa.
“(Smith) planned on killing the victim by strangulation, dragging his body to the driveway and onto the bed sheet,” wrote Deputy Carson Hendren of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in an arrest report. “He further planned to place the victim’s body into his closet where the defendant stated no one would know and the defendant could have the victim’s body all to himself.”
Deputies said Smith, who began noticing the jogger six weeks ago, had hidden behind a light pole and waited for the jogger to pass. He also gathered a rubber mallet, an aerosol deodorant can — to potentially spray in the man’s face — and a clothing belt, reports show.
Smith was taken into custody and transported to the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, where he is being held without bond. He's slated for a court appearance Feb. 10.
“The bizarre facts of this case as alleged in the probable cause arrest report indicate an underlying neurological problem and some information has been received that Mr. Smith may suffer from an autism spectrum disorder such as Asperger syndrome," Public Defender Blaise Trettis, who represents Smith, said to FLORIDA TODAY.
Asperger's syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis that involves poor social interaction or friendship skills coupled with nonverbal communication. There are also characteristics that involve repetitive behavior patterns and focused interests.
"Experts in this field will evaluate Mr. Smith to investigate the likelihood that he suffers from such a neurodevelopmental disorder,” Trettis said.
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
Support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cocoa man charged with attempted murder in 'calculated' jogger attack
