Smithtown man charged with attempted murder after St. James attack

A St. James home turned into a violent crime scene when, prosecutors say, Daniel Spector, 42, of Smithtown, forced his way inside and attacked a family member while the victim’s minor child hid nearby in a closet. Suffolk County prosecutors said the assault began after Spector violated a court-issued order of protection and kicked open the front door before getting into the victim’s bedroom.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Spector used a broomstick with a sharp metal object attached as a makeshift spear and stabbed the victim multiple times in the chest, arms and legs. Prosecutors say he also threatened to kill the victim and harm the child, then grabbed scissors, stabbed the victim in the face, strangled them, dragged them into another room and pressed his shin against their neck until they lost consciousness.

The victim’s mother intervened when Spector allegedly tried to drag the victim toward a staircase, in what prosecutors described as an apparent attempt to throw the victim down the stairs. The victim was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, and Suffolk County police apprehended Spector a few blocks from the home.

Spector was arraigned June 10, 2026, before Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei on an 11-count indictment, prosecutors said. The charges include attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of burglary in the first degree, attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, strangulation in the second degree, aggravated criminal contempt, criminal contempt, criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.

News 12 Long Island reported that Spector faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count and is due back in court July 14, 2026. Prosecutors have said they are not naming the victim or fully identifying the family relationship to protect the victim and the minor child.

The case is a stark reminder of how quickly a domestic dispute can escalate when an order of protection is violated and a weapon is brought into a home. In Suffolk County, the charges now move the case into a major felony prosecution centered not only on the alleged attack itself, but on the child who was trapped inside as the violence unfolded.