A woman who was a mental health counselor was stabbed by her former client, who then stabbed another client, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.
The incident took place at the counselor's Winter Park office on Lee Road on Monday night, leaving the counselor dead and the client critically injured.
Michael Smith, 39, a former client of the 44-year-old licensed counselor, has been identified as the suspect. He was found dead just before 8 a.m. near the 9000 block of Windy Ridge Road on Tuesday. Deputies say he died by suicide.
According to OCSO, Smith interrupted a therapy session between Rebecca White, the counselor, 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.
Just after 9 p.m. on Monday, deputies responded to the scene where they discovered White with "significant injuries," according to OCSO. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
OCSO said the second victim was also transported to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Deputies say the man in his 30s underwent surgery and is expected to recover.
Not immediately clear is the nature of White's previous dealings with the suspect, how long Smith had been a client, what had initially brought him to White's practice, when and why their counselor-client relationship ended and why the man had come to her office, Monday evening.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a targeted attack, with no further details released. Smith had a criminal history in Palm Beach County that included a sex offense and kidnapping, according to records.
