A Virginia Tech football player is currently awaiting trial in the murder of a 40-year-old restaurant worker who catfished the young athlete on a dating app, officials said. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. During Etutes preliminary hearing on Sept. 23, the court heard from several witnesses, including three Blacksburg Police Department detectives who shared details about the crime scene, the process of identifying Smiths body, and the interview with Etute. This is a carousel with slides. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Isimemen Etute, a Virginia Tech student now suspended from the university and its football team, is charged with second-degree murder in Smiths death. 1067 Obituaries Search Blacksburg obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. The family will receive friends Sunday, June 6, 2021 from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM in the Kendall Funeral Home Chapel. But Virginia's law didn't go into effect until July 1 of last year, so Judge Mike Fleenor did not advise the jury about it -- granting a request from the defense team. No cause of death has been released. His release is on hold for up to five days, but the appeal may be heard Thursday or . The state medical examiner's office in Roanoke said an autopsy determined that Jerry Paul Smith died from a blunt force injury to the head. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Born May 18, 1981 in Montgomery County, VA, he was the son of the late Jerry Wayne Smith and Sandra Cumbee Smith. in 2021 of Jerry Smith in Blacksburg. The video footage was shared exclusively with us from the property owner of the victims apartment; the owner would like to remain anonymous. He began beating Smith. . Birds of a feather really DO flock together! A Virginia Tech freshman linebacker charged with second-degree murder fatally beat his victim after discovering that the person, whom he met on Tinder as "Angie," was a man, prosecutors said Wednesday. Etute was arrested June 2, 2021, and charged with the May 31 murder of Jerry Smith, a local Blacksburg man who had posed as a woman online to meet straight, college-aged men. Weve blurred their faces until police confirm their identities and if they are looking for additional suspects in the murder of Smith, who was found dead, the victim of blunt force head injuries, the night of June 1. Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of a charge of second-degree murder in the 2021 death of Jerry Smith, 40, of Blacksburg, Virginia, on Friday The jury deliberated for approximately. About Us . Mail photos to Virginia Tech Magazine, 105A Media Building, Blacksburg, VA 24061, or email them to vtmag@vt.edu. Montgomery County General District Court Judge Randal Duncan set a secured bond of $75,000 for Isimemen Etute, 18, of Virginia Beach, but he will remain in jail after prosecutors filed an . Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? Etute says he visited the victim last year to engage in oral sex with a woman he believed to be named 'Angie,' but who was actually Smith. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Surveillance video shows three people leaving quickly from Jerry Smiths Blacksburg apartment May 31. The trial. At his bond hearing on June 9, the judge granted Etute a $75,000 bond, which prosecutors originally appealed, but that was quickly dropped. 1. During Septembers hearing, the defense asked to drop the second-degree murder charge and downgrade it to voluntary manslaughter, but the judge overruled the motion. Isimemen Etute celebrates in Montgomery County Circuit Court Friday, May 27, 2022 in Christiansburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool). All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Isimemen Etute says he thought Jerry Paul Smith was a woman when they met for sex. Market data provided by Factset. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Jerry Paul Smith May 18, 1981 - June 1, 2021 Photo Album Upload a Photo Label: * Image: * Gallery: Upload Gallery Image Funeral Service Kendall Funeral Home Sunday, June 06, 2021 4:00 PM Email Details 605 Snidow St. Pembroke, Virginia 24136 Directions Send Flowers Express your condolences with flowers sent to Jerry's family Order Online The jury. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning its verdict around 6.30pm, The Roanoke Times reported. The judge granted Etute, who has no prior criminal record, a $75,000 secured bond because he met all the requirements to prove hes neither a flight risk nor a danger to society. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Surveillance video shows three people leaving quickly from Jerry Smith 's Blacksburg apartment May 31. The prosecution showed jurors several pictures of Smith's lifeless, bloodied body. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are sent in Jerry's honor to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails in which to indulge. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP). Etute had testified that Smith reached for what Etute thought was a gun. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1558. Smith, 40, and Etute were acquaintances, Blacksburg police said. Left to cherish his memory to their hearts are a brother, John Wayne Smith (fiance, Angela) of Newport; nieces and nephews, Carmen Shelton, John Wyatt Smith, and Jaxon Wayne Smith; a very special aunt, Helen Griggs, and a special Cousin, Dowdy.There will be a Funeral Service conducted Sunday, June 6, 2021, at 4:00 PM, in the Kendall Funeral Home Chapel in Pembroke, VA with Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. The man has been identified as Jerry Smith, 40 of Blacksburg. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Jerry Paul Gigi Smith I found on Findagrave.com. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. There is a problem with your email/password. A guestbook is available by visiting www.kendallfuneralhome.com. He then went back to Smith's downtown Blacksburg apartment to find out whether Smith was a male or a female, police said. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning its verdict around 6:30 p.m., The Roanoke Times reported. 'He could never reach a gun from there,' Jensen said. Jerry was born January 26, 1945. The case went to a grand jury at Montgomery Circuit Court on Tuesday, Oct. 26. Etute said he punched Smith five times and kicked him to gain time to escape the apartment. Prosecutor Patrick Jensen had maintained that Etute had not acted in self-defense. Businessman Jerry Smith. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WSET) . A jury Friday found former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute, 19, not guilty of second-degree murder in the beating death of Jerry Paul Smith,The Roanoke Times reports. But a month later, Smith reached out to him again and invited him over, telling him to bring some friends. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The prosecuting attorney, Montgomery County Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Patrick Jensen, compared Etute, an "elite college athlete," to Smith, who weighed 153 pounds, and recalled the testimony of medical examiner Dr. Amy Tharp, who testified Smith suffered a "brutal beating.". The medical examiner ruled Smiths cause of death as blunt force to the head. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent in Jerrys honor to St. Judes Childrens Hospital. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - A man found dead in Blacksburg this week died of blunt force injuries to the head, according to the Roanoke Medical Examiner's Office. Please try again later. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Jerry Smith (228341189)? Investigators said the victim, 40-year-old Jerry Smith, knew Etute, but they didn't say how. For breaking news delivered to you, subscribe to WFXRs breaking news email list. When the two later met and engaged in sexual activity, Etute did not know that Smith was a man, according to Etutes attorney Jimmy Turk. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) Isimemen Etute the suspended Virginia Tech football player facing a murder charge after the death of a Blacksburg man in May is due back in a Montgomery County court on Tuesday as his case proceeds to a grand jury. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Etute, 18, is due in Montgomery County District Court in Christiansburg, Va., on Thursday morning following being charged with the killing of Jerry Smith, Blacksburg police announced, adding that . . Following a sexual encounter at Smith's apartment in Blacksburg, Etute discovered Smith was not an anatomical woman and proceeded to punch them multiple times. Starbucks olive oil drinks a curiosity in Italy, Veterans Voices : William Byrd High School Establishes, Bill stops NDAs from silencing sexual misconduct, Vanessa Bryant, L.A. 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At his video arraignment June 3, Etute was appointed an attorney, Naomi Huntington, who is a Radford City councilwoman and the citys vice mayor. Officers responded to a building in Blacksburg, home to the university, on Tuesday night for a welfare check and found 40-year-old Jerry Smith dead, the Blacksburg Police Department said. Blacksburg Town Council is the legislative body responsible for adopting all ordinances and resolutions, approving the annual operating and capital budgets, setting all tax rates, approving the five year Capital Improvement Program, setting all user fees, making land use and zoning . Prince Harry 'hated woke nonsense' and 'made jokes we are no longer allowed to make' before meeting Meghan, 'We met a Princess'! GREAT NEWS! Yes, flower arrangements are fulfilled and delivered by local florists from Blacksburg. There will be a Funeral Service conducted Sunday, June 6, 2021, at 4:00 PM, in the Kendall Funeral Home Chapel in Pembroke, VA with Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. Thanks for your help! A Virginia man has been acquitted of murder after using what amounted to a gay/trans "panic" defense, outlawed in the state just a month after the victim's death. Jerry Paul Smith was allegedly beaten to death by Isimemen Etute. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. As the football player was leaving, prosecutors say, Etute heard 'bubbling and gurgling' coming from Smith but did not call the police. Smith, who identified as a gay man, presented himself in a profile on the online dating app Tinder as a 21-year-old emergency room physician named Angie Renee. He argued that after Etute punched Smith and Smith fell to the floor, there was 'no way' Smith could have reached a weapon under his mattress. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. EXCLUSIVE - Revealed: Carol Kirkwood's secret toyboy fianc - 13 years her junior - is a divorced police 'Digital antidepressants' to be rolled out on the NHS as health bosses give eight apps and web-based therapy BBC journalists vote 'overwhelmingly' to stage series of strikes in move that could sabotage corporation's 'This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen!' The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Includes Address(3) Phone(3) Email(3) See Results. A hearing is scheduled Nov . Isimemen Etute, left, and defense attorney Jimmy Turk hug at the conclusion of the trial in Montgomery County Circuit Court Friday, May 27, 2022. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. This continues to be a complex, ongoing investigation. - New details came out in court on Wednesday in the case of a suspended Virginia Tech football player accused of murdering a Blacksburg man. A guestbook is available by visitingwww.kendallfuneralhome.com. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. . Police found a knife hidden under Smith's mattress, leading Turk to say, "Who would be more likely to resort to violence? This was a wicked sexual ruse.". No cause of death has been released. By Alyssa Guzman For Dailymail.Com and Associated Press, Published: 23:03 GMT, 27 May 2022 | Updated: 07:09 GMT, 28 May 2022. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Copyright 2021 WDBJ. Numerous people claiming to be locals are coming forward on Reddit with theories, allegations, and accusations regarding both . After a three-day trial in the Montogomery County Circuit Court, Isimemen Etute, 19, a former football player, was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Jerry Smith, 40, of. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. The linebacker reportedly groped Smith before allegedly beating him to death in what Etute said was self-defense. Greta Thunberg is carried off by police again during protest against wind farm that was built on indigenous Search and rescue volunteers with sniffer dogs join police in desperate hunt for aristocrat's missing baby: Father-of-three drowned in hot tub while on weekend break to Welsh seaside with his family, inquest hears. the attorney said through tears. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Prosecutors had earlier told the jury that Etute, then 18, became enraged and fatally beat Smith when he discovered Smith was a man. English The case went to a grand jury at Montgomery Circuit Court on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The university said in. He later beat Smith to death. BLACKSBURG, Va. (WNCN) - A freshman on the Virginia Tech football team has been charged iwth murdering a Blacksburg man, the school announced. He will now be under house arrest and electronic monitoring at his parent's house in Virginia Beach, according to prosecutors. Yes, simply click Add a photo located underneath the main photo of the obituary then upload the photos/videos you wish to share. (641) 236 3134. The police also said they have identified and interviewed multiple. Born May 18, 1981 in Montgomery County, VA, he was the son of the late Jerry Wayne Smith and Sandra Cumbee Smith. Search above to list available cemeteries. Jerry Smith in Roanoke, VA 56 results - Jerry Smith may also have lived outside of Roanoke, such as Vinton, Forest and 2 other cities in Virginia. The prosecution previously alleged that Etute became enraged upon realizing that Angie was a man, punched Smith several times in the face, and stomped on Smith with enough force to break every bone in his face. All rights reserved. Police found Smith in his apartment during a welfare check. Born May 18, 1981 in Montgomery County, VA, he was the son of the late Jerry Wayne Smith and Sandra Cumbee Smith. Smiths family and prosecutors also left reportedly without taking questions from the media. He added that Smith had 'demanded that it be dark' and had hidden a knife under his mattress 'in case there was something awry.'. Make sure that the file is a photo. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. The family will receive friends Sunday, June 6, 2021, from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM in the Kendall Funeral Home Chapel. Smith was found dead in his apartment two days later. Cause of death of Blacksburg businessman ruled blunt force; FBI involved in investigation, Wreckage of missing plane found in Carroll County, 16-year-old girl reported missing out of Roanoke, Spring-like warmth continues; rain chances increasing Thursday, Cinderella frontman, Winger, former Motley Crue rocker join for Dr Pepper Park show, Police name 83-year-old woman dead after Rockbridge Co. fire, Birthdays and Anniversaries for March 1, 2023, EARLY YEARS: Roanoke County Parks and Rec offering a variety of fun spring break and summer camps, Owner arrested in case of dogs deaths to appear in court, Montgomery Co. Real Estate Tax Rates Decrease, Bridging the Great Health Divide Across the US, PublicFileAccess@wdbj7.com - (540) 344-7000. or redistributed. Smith was let go recently from the management team at the Black Hen and Bar Blue in. Express your condolences with flowers sent to Jerry's family. Breaking news email list 6:30 p.m., the Roanoke Times reported or on the b! 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