ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A stabbing at a mental health counseling office in Orange County late Monday night left a licensed therapist dead and another person seriously injured, according to law enforcement.
Deputies said the attack occurred around 9 p.m. on Jan. 19, 2026, at an office in the 900 block of Lee Road. The victim, identified as 44-year-old Rebecca White, was a licensed mental health counselor. She was stabbed during the incident and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
A second victim, a man in his 30s whose identity has not been released, was also stabbed while attempting to intervene. Authorities said he had been in a therapy session with White that had ended shortly before the attack. During the incident, the man called 911 to report the stabbing. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover, medical personnel said.
Investigators identified the suspect as Michael Smith, a former client of White. According to the report, Smith went to White’s office demanding to see her. When she refused to let him inside, deputies said Smith pulled out a knife and attacked both victims before fleeing the scene.
On the morning of Jan. 20, around 7:45 a.m., deputies located Smith’s body. Preliminary information indicates he died by apparent suicide.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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