NEWS. ALL RIGHT. THANK GOODNESS THAT WITNESS WAS THERE. WE ARE LEARNING MORE THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT THE MAN DEPUTIES SAY MURDERED A THERAPIST IN ORANGE COUNTY OFFICE BEFORE TAKING HIS OWN LIFE. WESH TWO DAVID JONES IS LIVE. WHERE THIS ALL HAPPENED ON LEE ROAD. DAVID. JUST A HORRIFIC ATTACK. ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC. WE STILL DON’T EVEN HAVE THE INCIDENT REPORT FROM THIS ATTACK FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THEM, BUT WE DO KNOW THE MAN WHO DEPUTIES SAY WENT INTO THIS LEE ROAD OFFICE BUILDING AND STABBED THIS THERAPIST TO DEATH WAS A CONVICTED SEXUAL PREDATOR WHO WAS CONVICTED IN WEST PALM BEACH AND SERVED 18 YEARS IN STATE CUSTODY FOR HOLDING A WOMAN AT KNIFEPOINT WHILE HE RAPED HER. 39 YEAR OLD MICHAEL SMITH WAS FOUND DEAD THE DAY AFTER. DEPUTIES SAY HE WALKED INTO A LEE ROAD OFFICE BUILDING AND STABBED TO DEATH HIS FORMER MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR. 44 YEAR OLD REBECCA WHITE, AND INJURED HER CURRENT CLIENT. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS HE THEN KILLED HIMSELF. CREWS COULD BE SEEN REPLACING DOORS AT THE 933 LEE OFFICE BUILDING WEDNESDAY. THEY SAID THE DOORS HAD BEEN BROKEN AS ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES SWEPT THE BUILDING MONDAY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS SMITH HAD GONE INTO WHITE’S OFFICE DEMANDING TO SPEAK WITH HER. DEPUTIES SAY WHITE TOLD SMITH TO LEAVE AS ANOTHER MAN CALLED 911. THEN THEY SAY SMITH PULLED A KNIFE AND ATTACKED THEM BOTH. IN 2003, A THEN 17 YEAR OLD SMITH WAS ARRESTED IN WEST PALM BEACH. AUTHORITIES THERE SAID HE AMBUSHED A WOMAN AS SHE ARRIVED HOME, HELD HER AT KNIFEPOINT, BOUND HER, CUT OFF HER CLOTHES AND PUT PLASTIC PACKING TAPE AROUND HER FACE BEFORE RAPING HER. HE SERVED 18 YEARS IN STATE CUSTODY OUT OF HIS 22 YEAR SENTENCE FOR KIDNAPING, ARMED BURGLARY AND SEXUAL BATTERY BEFORE BEING RELEASED IN 2022. A FORMER COWORKER DESCRIBES WHITE AS A DEDICATED THERAPIST. SHE WAS A VERY KIND PERSON. SHE WAS AN EXCELLENT THERAPIST. SHE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE WAS DOING. SHE REALLY BELIEVED IN THE REHABILITATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT SHE SERVED. AND STAY WITH US. AT 5:00, WE’LL HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION. IN THE MEANTIME, WE’LL CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR ANSWERS, IN THIS CASE COVERING ORANGE COU
Former patient accused of stabbing therapist to death in Orange County had prior conviction using knife
Updated: 4:08 PM EST Jan 21, 2026
The man deputies say stabbed a mental health counselor to death on Monday in her office had a prior conviction for rape using a knife, court documents show. Michael Smith, 39, a former client of the licensed counselor, was found dead on Tuesday. Deputies say he died by suicide. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Smith interrupted a therapy session between Rebecca White and another client, demanding to speak with her. Deputies say White immediately addressed Smith and told him to leave. When the male victim, White’s client, told Smith that he was calling 911, Smith produced a knife and attacked them both.It happened at an office building on Lee Road, leaving White dead and the other person critically injured. He was identified as a man in his 30s who underwent surgery and is expected to recover.Prior conviction A 2003 arrest report from the West Palm Beach Police Department says Smith held a knife to a woman’s neck and forced her inside her home, where he held her against her will for more than three hours and repeatedly sexually battered her. He then tied her to a sink in the bathroom and left her there. He returned, told the woman he wanted to rape her again and untied her. The arrest report says the woman was able to get away, climb out a window and run to a neighbor’s home for help. Smith was eventually located at a mall. His DNA matched that at the scene and on the victim. Smith was charged with: armed burglary to an occupied residence with battery upon the occupantarmed sexual batteryarmed kidnapping He was convicted, spent nearly 18 years in prison and was added to the Florida Sex Offender registry.DOWNLOAD the free WESH 2 News app  for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
The man deputies say stabbed a mental health counselor to death on Monday in her office had a prior conviction for rape using a knife, court documents show.
Michael Smith, 39, a former client of the licensed counselor, was found dead on Tuesday. Deputies say he died by suicide.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Smith interrupted a therapy session between Rebecca White and another client, demanding to speak with her.
Deputies say White immediately addressed Smith and told him to leave. When the male victim, White’s client, told Smith that he was calling 911, Smith produced a knife and attacked them both.
It happened at an office building on Lee Road, leaving White dead and the other person critically injured. He was identified as a man in his 30s who underwent surgery and is expected to recover.
Prior conviction
A 2003 arrest report from the West Palm Beach Police Department says Smith held a knife to a woman’s neck and forced her inside her home, where he held her against her will for more than three hours and repeatedly sexually battered her.
He then tied her to a sink in the bathroom and left her there. He returned, told the woman he wanted to rape her again and untied her. The arrest report says the woman was able to get away, climb out a window and run to a neighbor’s home for help.
Smith was eventually located at a mall. His DNA matched that at the scene and on the victim.
Smith was charged with:
armed burglary to an occupied residence with battery upon the occupantarmed sexual batteryarmed kidnapping
He was convicted, spent nearly 18 years in prison and was added to the Florida Sex Offender registry.
DOWNLOAD the free WESH 2 News app  for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.