U.S. Army Ranger charged in beating death of female Tacoma security officer
TACOMA, Wash. July 28 2021- A U.S. Army Ranger stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been charged with first-degree murder in the deadly weekend attack on a female Tacoma security officer that was so severe that she was “unrecognizable” afterward, according to court documents released Friday.
The suspect, identified as Patrick Philip Byrne, 26, repeatedly and forcefully punched and stabbed Denise Smith’s face using a set of keys held tight between the fingers of his fist, then choked her in an unrelenting attack that went on for several minutes, the court documents show.
“It appeared to one detective that he was trying to stab or gouge her eyes out,” the court file says. The suspect also grabbed her by her braid and “dragged her around like a rag doll” during one part of the attack, court documents say.
During a first appearance hearing, Byrne pleaded not guilty to the attack.
The 5-foot-tall victim, who was 42 years old, tried to fight back against her 6-foot tall attacker but the efforts were futile.
“During the defendant’s lengthy attack on the victim, she repeatedly tried to fight back, and she tried to get away, but the defendant grabbed her each time and prevented her from fleeing,” the court file says. “He repeatedly overpowered her, assaulted her, and threw her around by her hair braid.”
Court documents say it was the choking that eventually killed the security officer.
The attack took place between 1 and 2 a.m. Sunday at an office building at 909 A Street that houses Division II of the Court of Appeals, as well as several businesses.
Court documents say Byrne walked or ran there after he was punched in the face during a fight at a downtown Tacoma bar that followed a night of drinking with friends.
Patrick Philip Byrne in court for a first appearance hearing on July 23, 2021.
After he was punched, he ran from the bar to the building where he allegedly attacked the security officer. The assault began after the security officer told Byrne to leave the premises.
After attacking and killing the security guard, Byrne allegedly broke out a window and cut himself, tossed furniture around, then jumped or fell 14 feet from a landing onto a concrete floor, injuring himself in the process, court documents show.
Byrne then passed out for a short period of time, then left the building and began screaming for help, claiming that he had been stabbed, according to the case file.
Someone called 911 and Byrne was taken to the hospital, where he claimed he also had been sexually assaulted. Doctors determined that he had not been stabbed and Byrne would not allow them to conduct a sexual assault exam.
The security officer’s death was discovered hours later, at 6 a.m., when another security guard arrived at the building to relieve her after her shift and discovered her body. That guard called 911 and police responded.
Byrne was identified as the suspected attacker from video taken by several security cameras in the building that clearly showed the deadly assault.
Byrne told police who questioned him later that he remembers nothing about the attack, telling detectives that he recalled drinking at a bar and then blacking out. He stated that when he woke up, he found himself in the hospital.
Byrne is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and one count of first-degree burglary.
He is scheduled to appear Friday at a hearing in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma.
KOMO News
