Waynesboro man gets 8 years for violent attack on former girlfriend

A Waynesboro man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to violently assaulting his former girlfriend in 2022 with a gun, hammer and a baseball bat, leaving wounds all over her body.

Aero Casey Smith, 33, was sentenced Thursday in Waynesboro Circuit Court after pleading guilty to malicious wounding, strangulation, abduction and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Judge Paul Dryer ruled that Smith be given credit on his sentence for the two years he has served since his November 2022 arrest.

"I've never seen a victim of violent crime with this many injuries,'' Dryer said before pronouncing the sentence.

Referring to the presentence report on Smith, Dryer said the report does not factor in the use of objects such as bats and hammer handles. The judge also noted that the victim testified she will experience the trauma of the attacks for the rest of her life.

The prosecution had requested a 10-year sentence, while Smith's attorney pushed for three.

Senior Assistant Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney Elysse Stolpe presented evidence that included pictures and a diagram of the victim's injuries. Stolpe said the victim had bruises across her entire body, marks on her neck from strangulation and cuts from being stabbed. Stolpe said a forensic nurse had taken 249 pictures of the injuries. The bruises across the victim's back came from a baseball bat. There were knife wounds on the woman's legs from the pricking of a knife.

All of the injuries were sustained at a city trailer park, Stolpe said.

Stolpe also presented evidence from the victim that included the allegation that Smith had put a gun in her mouth and told her, "I will blow your face through the back of your head."

Stolpe said that the victim fears for her life knowing that Smith will one day be out of prison.

The victim offered a statement to the court in which she said she now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and never knows when that disorder will be triggered.

"Do justice so another woman doesn't have to come back here,'' she said.

Smith spoke in his defense that opioid medication for pain from dental procedures he was taking in the days prior to his arrest caused him to black out mentally. He said he didn't recall his violent actions just prior to his November 2022 arrest. Smith also previously had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The victim's injuries were reported to the police at the insistence of her employer, Stolpe said.

Smith told the court he has worked to turn his life around. He has been made a trusty at Middle River Regional Jail and regularly attends Bible study. He has the promise of employment to cut hair upon release from prison and has studied for his commercial driver's license because he wishes to start a trucking company.

"I take full responsibility for my actions,'' said Smith, who promised to never contact the victim again.

On cross-examination, Smith acknowledged that he has not taken anger management, domestic violence, substance abuse or any other kind of training to deal with his behavior while in jail.

"You have taken no steps in prison,'' Stolpe told him.

Dryer addressed the lack of corrective actions from Smith prior to pronouncing sentence.

"Pleading guilty is not acceptance of responsibility,'' the judge said.

The victim was granted a lifetime protective order, otherwise known as a restraining order, from Smith.