JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 40-year-old Jacksonville man pleaded guilty this week to trying to kill his mother and stepfather.
Jerimy Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree attempted murder, grand theft auto and petit theft. He was scheduled to go to trial on the charges this week.
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In February, Smith went into his parents' bedroom while they were sleeping and began beating them repeatedly with a metal baseball bat. Smith was released from prison four days before the incident and moved into the home after his release.
After beating his mother, Mattie Smith, and his stepfather, Robert Bohannon, Smith took his mother's car and crashed it about five miles from the victims' home. Jacksonville Fire-Rescue responded to the crash and began to treat Smith, but Smith fled before police arrived on the scene. He turned himself into police the next day.
Smith is a prison release re-offender having committed this crime days after his release from prison. He is also a habitual felony offender with convictions for grand theft auto and burglary. He will be sentenced to mandatory life in prison the week of Feb. 25.