Louisville girl, 17, indicted for stabbing death during park fight

CANTON ‒ A Stark County grand jury has ruled there is enough evidence for a trial for a 17-year-old Louisville girl accused of a fatal stabbing in September.

Marissa G. Smith faces charges of murder and felonious assault for the death of Michael Morris.

The grand jury recently indicted her.

In October, Stark County Family Court Judge David Nist ruled the case against Smith should be transferred out of juvenile court to Common Pleas Court, which handles adult felony criminal cases.

Morris, 22, of the Alliance area, was stabbed in the chest with a knife in Wildwood Park in Louisville on Sept. 13. He later was pronounced dead at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital in Canton.

According to police, the stabbing happened during an altercation between three individuals over previous unresolved conflicts.

A 15-year-old Louisville boy has also been charged. He is accused of giving Smith the knife. His case will remain in the juvenile court system. He faces two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and one count of aggravated criminal trespass, in addition to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon.

Louisville detective John Pilla testified during Smith's prior court hearing that during an interview with the defendant she said a group of boys had been beating up the 15-year-old, who later gave her the knife. She said she was trying to use the knife to scare the boys away and get them to leave, he said.

Pilla testified the disagreement seemed to stem from whether Smith had been spat on by the boys.

More:Two teens charged after man, 22, stabbed to death in Louisville park

Smith will be arraigned Friday.

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com.

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