Former patient allegedly killed therapist before committing suicide

WINTER PARK, Fla. (TCN) -- A therapist’s former client allegedly interrupted her session with another client, stabbed both, and then reportedly killed himself. 

On Jan. 19, police were dispatched to a mental health counseling office for reports of a stabbing, WFTV reports. Rebecca Park, 44, was fatally stabbed. Her patient, a man in his 30s who has not been named, was injured in the stabbing as well.

Park was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Park’s patient, who had called 911 to report the incident, underwent surgery and is expected to recover.

Police identified the suspect as Michael Smith, a former client. He had allegedly come to Park’s office and demanded to speak to her. When she did not let him in, he allegedly attacked Park and her client with a knife, WFTV reports.

On Jan. 20, authorities found Smith dead of apparent suicide, Spectrum News 13 reports. 

According to Spectrum News 13, Park had been a licensed mental health counselor for 20 years and had started her business, Down to Earth Therapy Solutions, in 2022. 

An arrest report from 2003 obtained by WESH states that Smith spent 18 years in prison for armed burglary, armed sexual battery, and armed kidnapping, and after his release, was placed on the Florida Sex Offender registry. 

According to the report, Smith held a woman at knifepoint to force her into her home, where he held her for several hours and repeatedly sexually assaulted her before tying her to the sink in the bathroom. The woman was eventually able to escape through a window and run to a neighbor’s home for help.

Authorities have not released a motive in Park’s killing.

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