A domestic fight on the 300 block of Paige Drive in Greenville turned deadly Monday when 37-year-old Keith Smith tried to run over his ex-girlfriend with his car, then fled the scene and died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers closed in, according to Greenville police.
Police were dispatched to the Paige Drive home after reports of shots fired, as reported by WITN. Investigators say Smith and the woman, his former romantic partner, got into a fight that turned physical before Smith allegedly tried to run her over with his vehicle. The woman then fired at the car, police said, after which Smith regained control of the gun and chased her before driving away. WCTI News 12 reported that the initial confrontation began in the 300 block of Paige Drive before escalating into the vehicle attack and gun struggle.
Smith's car was later found near West Roundtree Drive and West 5th Street. As officers approached the vehicle, they heard a gunshot from inside, police said. Smith was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman refused medical treatment, according to the same report.
Self-Defense Statute Could Apply to Woman's Actions
Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-51.3, a person is legally justified in using deadly force without a duty to retreat if they reasonably believe it necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm while lawfully present in a location, according to Randall Law, PLLC. That statute provides context for why the woman fired at Smith's vehicle after police say he tried to run her over, though Greenville police have not characterized her actions beyond the facts of the encounter. Police said the investigation remains ongoing, and it remains unclear how Smith regained control of the firearm during the struggle.
Part of a Pattern Hoodline Has Tracked in Pitt County
This case adds to a string of domestic violence arrests Hoodline has tracked across Greenville this fall, including cases involving knife threats, a box cutter attack, and an assault on a pregnant girlfriend. North Carolina's 48-Hour Rule, under General Statute § 15A-534.1, requires that anyone arrested on domestic violence charges be held without bond for up to 48 hours so a district court judge, rather than a magistrate, can review the person's record and set release conditions. That procedural safeguard did not apply here, since Smith died at the scene rather than being taken into custody.
Statewide, domestic violence-related homicides have increased, with firearms remaining the leading cause of death. Research published in the North Carolina Medical Journal found that intimate partner homicides involving guns in North Carolina rose 15% from 2011 to 2020 compared with the previous decade.
National Data Shows Pattern in Murder-Suicides
A Violence Policy Center study published in April found that 65% of murder-suicides nationwide involved intimate partners, with firearms used in 88% of those cases and men comprising 92% of perpetrators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention separately reports that 47.3% of women and 44.2% of men in the United States experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.
Civil protections exist for victims seeking to get ahead of violence before it turns deadly. North Carolina district courts handle Chapter 50B Domestic Violence Protective Order filings, though it is not known whether any such order existed between Smith and the woman involved in Monday's incident.
Local Resources Available to Survivors
Greenville police said their investigation into Monday's incident continues.
