Republic man charged after alleged machete attack

REPUBLIC, Mo. — A Republic man has been charged after allegedly attacking another man with a machete.

According to online court records, Leroy D. Miller is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

A probable cause statement from the Republic Police Department (RPD) says officers responded to a reported domestic assault in the 500 block of W. Hines St. on Tuesday, Sept. 24. When they arrived, they found Miller sitting on the grass, with bloodstains on his knuckles and clothes.

RPD says officers observed a machete in the grass next to Miller. When asked about what happened, Miller told police he’d had a fight with the victim and claimed to have struck the victim with his fists.

The victim had several cuts on his forehead, nose and upper lip, according to documents, and claimed he’d been sitting inside his garage when Miller approached him. According to documents, the victim also said Miller hit him with the machete handle and threatened to cut the victim’s throat after being told to leave. The victim said Miller had hit him four times with the handle and had held the blade up to his throat.

In a post-Miranda interview, Miller told police that the victim had stolen personal items from him. Documents say Miller told officers that he had hit the victim in the nose, and later admitted to using the machete handle during the assault. When officers asked how many times Miller had hit the victim, documents say Miller claimed to have only hit him once, then laughed.

Miller is currently being held in the Greene County Jail without bond.

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