Salt Lake City police arrested a 34-year-old man early Saturday after he allegedly walked into a stranger’s apartment carrying an axe, refused to leave, and then used the resident’s shower. According to charging documents, the woman told investigators the man said he had been “watching and loving her” for months.
Police Account Of The Late-Night Intrusion
An arrest document reviewed by Gephardt Daily states that the suspect, identified as Chadwell Clement Smith, entered the apartment near 700 East and 700 South at about 2 a.m. The resident had left her door slightly open so her dog could go outside. When she came back, the document says, she found Smith inside holding an axe.
According to the arrest report, Smith put the axe down, hugged the woman, then sat on the floor and rubbed her legs and feet. He then walked into her bathroom and took a shower, despite allegedly being told to leave.
What Officers Found And How He Was Booked
FOX13 reported that when officers arrived, they found Smith lying shirtless on the victim’s bed. Police say he admitted walking into the apartment after noticing the door was open.
Booking records list burglary of a dwelling and kidnapping as second-degree felonies, along with prohibited dangerous-weapon conduct and a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession. Smith was ordered held without bail.
Legal Status And What Comes Next
As outlined by Gephardt Daily, Smith was booked into the Salt Lake County jail system and is being held without bail while investigators and prosecutors review the case. The Salt Lake County Attorney’s Office will determine formal charges and court dates as the case moves through the local judicial system.
Past Cases And Local Concerns
The incident echoes earlier Salt Lake City cases in which victims who allowed strangers into their homes to use the shower were later violently assaulted, a pattern reported by The Salt Lake Tribune. Those prior cases highlight how a cracked door or a brief act of trust can quickly become dangerous for residents and their neighbors.
Investigators say the probe remains active and that more information will be released as it becomes available. Smith is still in custody, and the case is expected to continue through the county’s charging and court process.
