A Gainesville man who was previously charged in January for the murder of a woman now faces new assault charges in connection with a separate incident days before the murder.
Gainesville Police Lt. Kevin Holbrook said Diandre Andreus Dryden, 23, allegedly had a domestic dispute with his girlfriend days prior to the Jan. 23 murder of Latasha Marie Smith near Lanier Point Apartments.
Dryden allegedly physically hit his girlfriend in an attempt to injure or kill their unborn child. The mother and child have recovered, but Holbrook said they received unreported injuries at the time of the incident. The victim in the domestic dispute and the victim in the murder were two separate people.
Dryden was charged with felony aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit feticide in that incident.
Gainesville Police told AccessWDUN in January Smith's body was found at about 3:00 a.m. in the grass of the apartment complex.
Dryden was arrested shortly after and charged with malice and felony murder.
“The hardworking members of the Gainesville Police Department ensured a thorough and expeditious investigation was completed to bring justice in this case. Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Latasha Smith," Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said in a press release in January.
