Overview
- Rebecca White, 44, was attacked inside her Lee Road office after a former client entered following a session, refused to leave, and then stabbed her and a patient, according to the sheriff's office.
- Deputies identified the suspect as Michael Smith, 39, who was found dead by apparent suicide Tuesday morning on Windy Ridge Road.
- The male patient in his 30s underwent surgery and was released from the hospital Wednesday night, his mother said, after being stabbed multiple times while trying to defend White.
- Court records show Smith was previously convicted in 2003 of violent offenses involving a knife, served a long prison term, and was listed on Florida’s sex‑offender registry.
- White’s family questioned building access and security at the office, and therapists are reexamining safety practices as investigators continue an active probe.