Merrillville Man Arrested After Stabbing of Girlfriend During Domestic Dispute
A Merrillville man is facing serious charges after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend in the neck during a domestic dispute at their shared apartment on 73rd, on May 11, 2025.
According to court documents, officers were dispatched to an apartment complex following a 911 call reporting a woman being stabbed and dragged by a male subject. Upon arrival, officers located the victim outside the residence in a hysterical state, bleeding from a gash on her neck. She was rushed to Southlake Methodist Hospital and later transferred to the University of Chicago for emergency surgery due to the severity of her injuries.
The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Elijah Ty On Smith, had fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival. A subsequent search led to Smith’s arrest near the intersection of Broadway and U.S. 30. Officers found multiple loaded firearms, including handguns, a shotgun, and a rifle inside Smith’s vehicle, along with a black duffel bag containing ammunition and tactical accessories. A pink cell phone belonging to the victim was recovered from Smith’s person.
Merrillville Detectives who led the investigation, reviewed officers’ reports and conducted interviews with both the victim and the suspect. The victim told police that she and Smith had been dating for nine months and had gotten into a heated argument when she returned home from work and informed Smith she planned to go out with friends. The argument escalated when Smith, reportedly armed with a Batman-style dual-blade knife and a handgun, accused her of cheating.
According to the victim, after she questioned Smith’s threats, he grabbed her and stabbed her in the neck. She pleaded with him to call for help, but instead, Smith took her phone, pointed a gun at her, and fled the apartment after handing her a blue towel to stop the bleeding. She then ran to a nearby apartment for assistance.
Smith later admitted to police that he stabbed the victim but claimed it was accidental and occurred during a struggle. He changed aspects of his story during the interview and ultimately could not explain why he gathered multiple firearms and left the scene without calling 911, despite having access to his own phone.
A search warrant executed at the couple’s apartment revealed signs of a violent altercation, including visible blood throughout. The knife allegedly used in the stabbing was not recovered.
Merrillville Police Chief Kosta Nuses said, “Great teamwork to everyone involved; from Patrol, our Detectives, and Lake County Dispatch. Everybody did an awesome job working together, and it really paid off with the successful apprehension of the suspect.”
Elijah Smith remains in custody at the Lake County Jail. He faces charges of the following:
Level 3 Felony Aggravated Battery – posing a substantial risk of death.
Level 3 Felony Criminal Confinement while armed with a deadly weapon
Level 3 Felony Criminal Confinement resulting in serious bodily injury
Level 4 Felony Criminal Confinement with moderate bodily injury
Level 5 Felony Domestic Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury
Level 5 Felony Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon
Level 5 Felony Intimidation: Where def. draws or uses a deadly weapon
Level 6 Felony Pointing a Firearm at Another
Misdemeanor Interference with Reporting of a Crime – interferes w/prevents victim from 911
