ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Police reports show Joseph Leonardo Smith, 31, was wanted on a rape charge in Atlanta at the time of the three murders he's now charged with.
According to an Atlanta police report, a woman reported Smith attempted to rape her in her apartment Sept. 20. The woman told police he came to her apartment to borrow money from her. When Smith arrived, he attempted to rape her. The victim told police Smith "bit, choked her and hit her in the face when she started to scream."
Investigators with Atlanta Police Special Victims Unit took out a warrant for Smith on Sept. 21. Smith was arrested two days later for murder.
Smith waived his first court appearance Tuesday. He is suspected of killing three people, including his fiancee, Shatikey Griffin, 34, and her 12-year-old daughter, Demiya. Smith is charged with two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, rape and false imprisonment.
Smith is also charged with aggravated assault and murder for strangling girlfriend Loveitt Wallace, 36, at Wellesley Inn on Virginia Avenue around 8 a.m. Sunday, according to East Point police.
"I want to know who is the real Joe Smith, because we don't know what kind of relationships he had with several women as we see now," cousin Chandra Gallashaw said.
Wallace's sisters can't comprehend how a man she had dated off and on for seven years could be accused in her death.
"I told my sister I like him because he didn't like to argue, he never raised his hands to her," Tasha Wallace Njie said.
What none of them knew until now was that Smith was also engaged to "Shatikya." Now they speculate about what happened and how Smith may have led a double life.
"He loved both of them, and he just lied and got caught up, and probably couldn't handle it," sister Sonja Ballard said.
Smith will have another court appearance Oct. 9.
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Joe Smith
Loveitt Wallace
