Judge orders man facing multiple charges in Ponte Vedra triple stabbing to remain in jail
The man charged with stabbing his former girlfriend, her mother and a good Samaritan before slitting his own throat outside a Ponte Vedra Beach restaurant made his first appearance in court Saturday morning.
Spencer Ross Pearson, 18, remains jailed on charges of two counts of attempted murder and a single count of aggravated battery, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office inmate records show.
Pearson is accused of stabbing Madison Schemitz, her mother, Jacki Rogé, and Kennedy Armstrong, who intervened in the June 3 attack outside Mr. Chubby's Wings, 150 Valley Circle.
He had been booked into the St. Johns County Jail on Friday after being hospitalized with self-inflicted injuries in the incident.
Except to briefly and quietly confer with his attorney, Pearson said nothing during the first appearance hearing. A white bandage around his neck concealed what a jail mug shot showed were noticeable stitches for his injuries, video recorded by First Coast News, the Times-Union news partner showed.
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No changes have been made to his previous no-bond status for the two counts of attempted murder. But Pearson has a $100,000 bond on aggravated battery.
The judge issued three no-contact orders on Pearson for all three victims — Schemitz, Roge and Armstrong.
Pearson cannot go within 1,500 feet of the mom and daughter's place of employment or residence. The same applies in regards to Armstrong, where he cannot go within 500 feet. In addition, Pearson cannot have any firearms in his possession.
The State Attorney's Office asked for and was granted a no-trespassing order on Pearson for Mr. Chubby's Wings, the restaurant where the stabbing happened.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said Friday that Pearson is being held in special housing because of his risk of self-harm. He has access to mental health professionals who will meet with him.
Police records show that Pearson had followed one of the victims — identified as Schemitz — since March 2023. Schemitz's sister, Tatiana Cruceta told First Coast News in an earlier statement this month, that the two were in a previous relationship.
"I don’t know all the details, but I do know that there were some issues in the past after they had broken up, where he was threatening her safety," Cruceta said. "My mother was looking to get a restraining order against him so this was definitely premeditated. This was definitely something that he had planned.”
On June 3, Schemitz was with her mother and a few friends at Mr. Chubby's Wings when Pearson walked in.
Casey Estep, who was eating with Schemitz and her mom at the restaurant shortly before the stabbing, told First Coast News that when Schemitz and her mom spotted Pearson, "They were like, 'Oh, we’ve got to go.'"
Estep said they asked for the check and tried to quietly leave, but before she could finish cashing out, Pearson took off running toward Schemitz and her mom.
The arrest warrant states that shortly after leaving the restaurant, Pearson charged after Schemitz and began stabbing her fifteen times.
According to the family, Schemitz suffered damage to her spinal cord in the attack and is currently paralyzed. Records also show her mother, Rogé, was stabbed twice, in the forehead and leg. Armstrong sustained severe cuts to his right hand.
Times-Union staff writer Teresa Stepzinski contributed to this report. Read the original First Coast News article here.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Judge keeps no bond order for Ponte Vedra triple stabbing suspect
