Man Died Half-Day Before Discovery Detectives Have ‘Persons Of Interest’ In Ax Killing

An artist who was bludgeoned to death with an ax died at least 12 hours before he was found in his apartment, according to a coroner’s report.

William J. Smith, 69, was found dead in his Harmony House apartment at 5 p.m. on April 3.

Dr. Robert West, Kootenai County coroner, said Monday that he believes Smith died much earlier.

Coeur d’Alene Police have not arrested anyone in connection with Smith’s death, said Capt. Carl Bergh.

However, a tenant in a nearby apartment was arrested the day after the murder was discovered. Gerald Barcella, 35, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

Bergh said investigators have several “persons of interest” in the case, but would not say whether Barcella was among them.

Smith managed the apartments where he lived. He also was a stained glass artist whose work decorates churches throughout the country.

The owner of the apartments found Smith dead when he went to pick up rent payments.

Smith had been struck numerous times in the head with an ax-like instrument, Bergh said. The weapon was found near the body but did not appear to belong to Smith.

The coroner said that rigor mortis in the body and clotted blood at the scene helped him determine that Smith died at least 12 hours before he was found.

Carmen Hook, who lives in the room next to Smith’s, said she heard an argument the evening before her neighbor was found dead.

“I heard somebody say ‘no don’t,”’ she said. “It didn’t sound like a big argument, it just sounded like two guys arguing.”

However, Hook said she did not know for sure whether the noise was coming from Smith’s room or from down the hall. Nor was she certain whether it was Smith’s voice she heard.

That argument took place before 11 p.m. on April 2, Hook said. Another tenant saw Smith several hours later at about 3 a.m. on April 3, Hook said.

Smith was found dead that afternoon.

“We still have not determined the specific motive,” Bergh said, explaining that detectives are still trying to determine whether the artist was robbed during the attack. There were no signs of forced entry into Smith’s apartment.

Police arrested Barcella on Tuesday after discovering he had several guns in his apartment and was a convicted felon. Bergh would not comment on how officers came to find the guns in Barcella’s apartment.

According to a Coeur d’Alene Police report, Barcella was convicted of first-degree assault in Connecticut. Police found two shotguns, a rifle and a hand gun in his apartment, according to their report.

Barcella is being held at the Kootenai County Jail on $50,000 bond for the weapons charge.

He told police that the weapons belonged to his girlfriend, according to the report.