On Aug. 23, at approximately 1:10 p.m. Garland police officers responded to an apartment community in the 5600 block of Duck Creek Road. When the officers arrived, they located the female victim who stated she had been physically and sexually assaulted.
The investigation revealed that the victim was in her apartment when the offender made entry into the apartment. Once inside, the female was held against her will, physically assaulted and sexually assaulted. The offender removed property from the victim’s apartment and then left in the victim’s stolen vehicle. The victim stated that the offender was a stranger, and she had never seen him before.
As Garland Detectives were working the case, they were contacted by Mesquite Police Department personnel on Aug. 27. MPA advised that they had arrested an individual for assaulting two female victims in the city of Mesquite.
According to the Mesquite Police Department, on Aug. 24, a female victim was approached by an unknown suspect in the parking lot of her apartment complex in the 2700 block of US Highway 80. The suspect asked for directions then opened the victim’s car door and began restraining her in her vehicle until she was able to honk the horn, which caused him to flee.
On Aug. 27, Mesquite officers responded to the 5900 block of Northwest Drive where a female victim said she was washing her car when an unknown suspect approached and began choking her inside her vehicle until a witness intervened and caused the suspect to flee. Mesquite officers were able to locate the suspect in a nearby apartment complex where he was arrested.
The offender is identified as Justin Dejohn Smith. The Mesquite and Garland Police Departments are seeking the public’s help in determining if there have been additional victims, or if anyone has been in recent contact with Smith.
If you have information about previous offenses in the city of Garland, contact Garland Police Investigator Seaberry at 972-205-1672. If you have information about previous offenses in the city of Mesquite, contact Mesquite Police Investigator Soto at 972-216-6704.
Garland police charges for Smith include Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Sexual Assault and Aggravated Robbery (home invasion).
Mesquite police charges for Smith include Attempted Murder, Evading Arrest and Unlawful Restraint.
Smith is currently in the custody of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.