A United States Army Ranger was charged Friday with first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, and first-degree murder after he was arrested for allegedly beating a female security guard to death.
Patrick Byrne was arrested early last week, a day after 42-year-old Denise Smith was found dead by her coworkers. Investigators said Smith was beaten for eight minutes until she was unrecognizable and was declared dead at the scene.
Police watched surveillance video of the incident and claimed Byrne attacked Smith after she asked him to leave as he attempted to enter the building's locked entrance doors. When the 26-year-old barged inside, he took Smith to the ground before beating her with his fists. During the attack, he grabbed a set of keys and stabbed her in the face repeatedly before choking her to death.
After allegedly killing Smith, Byrne reportedly wandered around the office building before being hospitalized after someone called 911 and reported a bloody man who was yelling for help near the site of the incident.
Byrne claimed he had been stabbed and sexually assaulted, but nurses found no stab wounds and he refused an examination. He also claimed he did not remember the attack and had blacked out from drinking at the bar before the attack. Police say witnesses told them Byrne had gotten into a bar fight before his altercation with Smith.
Byrne has pleaded not guilty to his charges. His bail has been set at $2 million.
Source: KIRO 7
