Suspect in attempted break-in of woman's home armed with weapons, rope is Dearborn attorney

Dearborn attorney charged with break-in of former co-worker's home

Police say Smith was wearing latex gloves and carrying a backpack. Inside that backpack - a loaded handgun, a large knife, handcuffs, rope, masks, a hammer, a crowbar, duct tape and latex gloves.

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A personal injury attorney in Dearborn has been charged with attempted home invasion and felony firearm - accused of trying to break into a woman's home in Royal Oak just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The suspect is 34-year-old Levi Smith.

"So are you sure you are going to retain a lawyer?" asked Judge William Ulrich.

"One hundred percent positive," Smith said during his Zoom hearing. "I'm a lawyer myself."

Royal Oak police say the victim is another attorney - a woman that Smith had worked with, and expressed a romantic interest in.

"We got a 911 call from the victim in this matter. She realized somebody was outside of her house lurking around - she saw it on video camera," said Lt. Rich Millard.

Police say she was asleep when Smith tried to enter the side door of her home - she called police and set off a panic alarm. He was arrested as he tried to walk away.

"Our officers were going right down the street as soon as he walked down the driveway, so he didn't get very far," Millard said.

Police say Smith was wearing latex gloves and carrying a backpack. Inside that backpack - a loaded handgun, a large knife, handcuffs, rope, masks, a hammer, a crowbar, duct tape and latex gloves.

Police executed a search warrant on his car and home - finding more guns.

"There were a large number of firearms as well as ammunition found throughout the home -as well as the vehicle," said Det. Zach Meckl during the hearing. "There are still two registered handguns that are outstanding that we are unable to locate. So he does have access to at least two registered firearms, as well as presumably the rifles and or shotguns that are not going to be on any kind of registry."

Police say Smith's father recently passed away and he displayed suicidal tendencies while in police custody - urging the magistrate to keep him locked up.

"There's a major concern that these crimes will be continued, if he is released to the public," Millard said. "He's a large danger to the public, as well as to our victim.

"She is in the process right now of seeking a PPO in order to protect herself further. But she is gravely concerned that this may occur again."

The bond was set at $25,000 cash - which Smith said he can't afford. But if he does bond out, he was ordered to wear a GPS tether, have no contact with the victim, and hand over any guns to the Royal Oak police.

The victim's quick thinking and action combined with the rapid police response - may have prevented a tragedy.

"I'm just grateful she was able to give us a quick call and get us there," Millard said. "It's good to lock your doors - if you have a camera system or a panic alarm, a way to deter things - motion detector, lights - stuff like that - they all came into play in this case."

A case that is still active and ongoing.

"If anybody has information about Levi Smith that would be beneficial to our investigation please give us a call," he said.