Ex-Wife of Carlie's Accused Killer Shocked

Feb. 10 -- Carlie Brucia, the 11-year-old whose body was found dumped behind a Florida church, appears to have had ongoing troubles at home, ABCNEWS has learned. The details emerged as the ex-wife of the man accused of killing Carlie said he should get the death penalty if convicted.

Court records show that police were called to Carlie's Sarasota home at least a dozen times since 1999. Last October it was for a family dispute and in September, police were called for an assault. Carlie lived with her mother Susan Schorpen and her stepfather Steven Kansler.

If the case against Joseph P. Smith, who is charged with snatching her from a Sarasota car wash and killing her, goes to trial, it is possible the police calls to Carlie's home will be raised.

In the 2002 case of the murder of 7-year-old Danielle Van Dam, the parents' character became the subject of questioning during the trial of a neighbor who was charged, and ultimately convicted, of the killing.

Smith, who has been charged with Carlie's murder, has a string of past convictions, but when Julie Streeter discovered the man accused of abducting and killing Carlie was her ex-husband, she felt sick.

"It's disturbing. I'm shocked. I don't know what to say," Streeter told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America.

While Streeter says she did not initially recognize the man on the car wash security video released by police after Carlie's abduction, she says she now believes it could have been Smith leading Carlie away as she tried to walk home from a friend's house Feb. 1.

Streeter says she believes Smith should "pay the ultimate price" if he is found guilty.

‘Repeat Offender’

Authorities said that more than 400 phone tips from the public led authorities to link Smith to the surveillance video. Smith has been on probation almost continually since 1993. He's been arrested 13 times, according to police.

Gov. Jeb Bush came forward Monday to say that Smith was a parole violator who "shouldn't have been on the streets."