MILLCREEK — An 86-year-old woman who was brutally beaten early Friday morning is showing some signs of improvement, and her family hopes she can be moved from the intensive care unit onto a regular hospital floor.
Anne Smart-Pearce was found bloodied and in "extremely critical condition" with head injuries in her Brickyard area home by two of her renters who called for help.
Police suspect another tenant, Arthel Martin, 45, is responsible for the attack that occurred in the home located in the area of the 3000 South block of 1100 East.
The motive is unclear, and Martin is still at large, according to the Salt Lake County Unified Police Department. Two other tenants said they saw Martin leave the house in a dark green Hyundai Sonata with license plate Z216MN.
Martin is a light-skinned African-American man with what has been described as an athletic build.
He has been charged in the past for cohabitant abuse involving two other females who had protective orders against him, according to Amy Maddocks, a family spokeswoman who is married to one of Smart-Pearce's sons.
Maddocks said doctors have not given any word on whether Smart-Pearce will suffer permanent damage, but the family is hopeful she will recover fully.
"She is doing a lot better," Maddocks said. "They still have to do more tests and X-rays, and they're still figuring out the extent of the damage, but hopes are high at this point because she is coming to, here and there, and she is a little more coherent."
A misinformed relative apparently told the media that Smart-Pearce had undergone surgery on Friday, but that did not occur, Maddocks said.
Maddocks, and other relatives, are mystified as to why anyone would want to hurt Smart-Pearce.
"Anne is the sweetest, kindest, most loving person you would ever want to meet," Maddocks said. "She is just a sweetheart — and this should not happen to anybody."
An account has been set up in her name at Zions Bank. "Anything donated will go toward her expenses for this."
Maddocks said Smart-Pearce, who is the mother of eight, not only enjoyed writing letters to the editor but also is the author of two books, "Hold Me for a Moment," a pro-life tale written in novel form, and "Reap the East Wind," another novel that underscores the importance of crucial decisions.
e-mail: lindat@desnews.com