Few positive things happen after midnight. That rang true again on August 31, 2024, when E911 received a call around 2:30 a.m. in reference to a possible assault in progress. When the call came in, operators could hear a woman screaming in the background but they were unable to get her to talk, according to a sheriff’s office report.
As operators were trying to ping the call, they were able to make contact with Johnny David Smith, 38, who was at the scene. According to the report, Smith stated that another person, identified as Adam Keith Gilbert, was at the location being disorderly and refused to leave. Smith also stated, the report says, that he was on top of Gilbert and would remain there until officers arrived.
When deputies showed up, they found Smith on Gilbert’s back and blood all over the kitchen floor. The blood belonged to Gilbert, the report says. Officers spoke to both Gilbert and Smith regarding what happened.
In the report, Gilbert said he was cooking dinner at the house when Smith walked in unannounced and uninvited. Gilbert told him to leave the residence but Smith refused, the report says. Gilbert stated that he had a knife in his hand because he had been cutting up steak but he put the knife down when Smith walked in. Smith was yelling at Gilbert to leave the home then, the report says, Smith jumped on him and began punching him. Gilbert had visible injuries and an officer called EMS to the scene.
During the interview with Gilbert, the story began to take shape. Gilbert said that he had been staying at the house with Smith’s ex with whom Smith has children. The same officer who spoke with Gilbert also spoke with Smith. In the report, Smith stated that his ex had picked him up and said that Gilbert had been abusive toward her. Smith then stated that he would do anything to protect the mother of his children, the report says. Smith said that his ex took him to her home but told him to stay outside unless he heard her arguing with Gilbert. He said that he heard them arguing after she went inside so he entered the home and that’s when the fight began. In the report, Smith says that Gilbert came at him first and he fought back.
When the deputy spoke with the ex, she denied taking him to her house. Instead, the report says, she dropped him off on Bancroft Road and told him not to come to her home. She had picked him up and was venting to him about Gilbert being abusive to her, the report says. She said that Smith stated that he would handle the problem. The female said that Gilbert had been abusive to her but she had never reported it, according to the report. She also said that she wanted both Gilbert and Smith gone from her home.
Based on the interviews and what deputies had seen at the home, officers arrested Smith and transported him to the Coffee County Jail. He was charged with aggravated battery. Smith has since been released.