GUILTY IL - Katrina Smith, 30, beaten to death, Machesney Park, 23 Oct 2012 *new trial request 2023* #3

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Jury selection in murder trial for Todd Smith begins
By Marissa Lesner | Posted: Mon 5:10 PM, Jan 09, 2017 | Updated: Mon 6:11 PM, Jan 09, 2017

. . . After hours of questioning, no jurors have been selected.

. . . Jury selection is expected to take two to three days. . .

Smith faces up 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted. If prosecutors can prove the murder was evil, cruel, and cold-blooded, he can get up to 100 years in prison.
 
UPDATE: Opening statements heard in Todd Smith murder trial
By Marissa Lesner | Posted: Wed 1:34 PM, Jan 11, 2017

Todd Smith murder trial underway
By Cody Carter, Internet Director| Posted: Jan 11, 2017 1:16 PM EST

. . .During opening statements, the prosecution outlined marital issues between Todd and Katrina before her death.

Todd Smith's defense said during their opening statements that confirmation bias led to improper and incorrect identification as Todd as a murderer . . .

Follow WREX reporter Mary Sugden on Twitter @MarySugden13 for more updates.
 
Day 2, pretty big news... Todd asked detectives about blood in the car.. But they hadn't processed the car yet. Oops... this might be the biggest thing that sinks him.

I see this is not being followed much here on WS but it is big news in Rockford IL, with at least 8 news outlets updating.

IL trials are just starting to be broadcast, (up to each county)

Look at the smirk on this face...



I just finished updating the archive with todays news and pics.
It is an organizing mess because I cannot chronologically organize at all, but trial coverage is all there beginning at p19..

http://s296.photobucket.com/user/crankycrankerson/library/Katrina Smith -IL-?sort=6&page=1
 
One thing has confused me. The story said Todd questioned police about blood in the car before they had found it. But it also said that his questions were in response to something he heard from her family. Are they saying he made up an excuse to ask about blood in the car because he wanted to know whether they found any?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
CW - I am local (Rockford) and participated in many searches with her family. I would be hard pressed to believe that someone in her family actually told him there was blood in the car. Not sure if I'm breaking rules, but the family was skeptical about his involvement from the beginning, and his actions during the searches made all of us question his guilt (or innocence).

One thing has confused me. The story said Todd questioned police about blood in the car before they had found it. But it also said that his questions were in response to something he heard from her family. Are they saying he made up an excuse to ask about blood in the car because he wanted to know whether they found any?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Defense team was trying to bring suspicion on the boyfriend, Guy Gabriel, but it wasn't much of an attempt since there is proof he was at work.

Friday testimony also from Det Berg, who is the one who supposedly told the family about blood in the car. He said that never happened.

I updated the Case Archive. Link is a few posts up.
 
Detective testifies Todd Smith "looked nervous" when speaking with him; judge grants directed verdict for felony murder charge
Posted: Jan 23, 2017 5:02 PM EST

ROCKFORD (WREX) - The third week of the Todd Smith murder trial began Monday . . .

Monday afternoon the defense made a motion for a directed verdict. The judge granted the directed verdict for the felony murder charges but not for the first degree murder charges, meaning that the jury will still decide the first degree murder charges but not the felony murder charges. This means that, in the judge's opinion, the state did not meet the burden of proof for the felony murder charges and therefore the jury will not decide that charge.

bbm
 
Defense rests in Todd Smith murder trial; closing arguments to begin Wed. morning
By Cody Carter, Internet Director | Posted: Jan 24, 2017 4:41 PM EST

ROCKFORD (WREX) -

Defense attorneys for Todd Smith, the Machesney Park man accused of killing his wife Katrina back in 2012, rested their case Wednesday afternoon. Closing arguments are set to begin Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.

(. . .) On Monday, the judge granting Todd Smith a partial directed verdict, meaning the jury will only decided his fate when it comes to first degree murder charges, with the judge throwing out the felony murder charges.
 
found guilty of first degree murder....can be read at wrex.com
 
CW - I am local (Rockford) and participated in many searches with her family. I would be hard pressed to believe that someone in her family actually told him there was blood in the car. Not sure if I'm breaking rules, but the family was skeptical about his involvement from the beginning, and his actions during the searches made all of us question his guilt (or innocence).


I'm local too and was at the search in Rock Cut State Park...I also grew up near (and remember it well)where he did and not far from the house he blew up with his family inside..they barely escaped
 
The jury is deliberating, still. 10 men and 2 women got the case about 12:45pm today.

In closing, defense tried to plant doubts of course. Pros swung the bat again and again, mimicking the blows that Todd gave Katrina with the bat.


I'm sorry I have not been here giving a daily update, I do it loyally on the Case Archive. This site hates me, I swear... it takes 10 min to make 1 post and I am too ADHD for that.

Instead of searching all the news sites, I have it done for you, go look.
Beginning at page 19, trial coverage on the Katrina Smith Case Archive:

http://s296.photobucket.com/user/crankycrankerson/library/Katrina Smith -IL-?sort=6&page=1
 
Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 47m47 minutes ago
More
BREAKING: Jury finds Todd Smith guilt of first degree murder @13WREX

Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 47m47 minutes ago
More
BREAKING: Jury finds Todd Smith guilty of brutally and heinous indicative of wanton cruelty @13WREX

Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 47m47 minutes ago
More
BREAKING: Jury finds Todd Smith guilty of aggravated battery, aggravated domestic battery, concealment of a homicide @13WREX

Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 46m46 minutes ago
More
BREAKING: Jury finds Todd Smith guilty of all charges it was presented @13WREX

Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 45m45 minutes ago
More
BREAKING: Todd Smith is crying after hearing the verdict @13WREX

Mary Sugden ‏@MarySugden13 44m44 minutes ago
More
Todd's sentencing set for March 22nd @13WREX

I know you all have already posted he is guilty I just thought I would post the tweets!

I am glad they didn't buy the defense's story!

RIP Katrina! :rose:
 
Todd Smith sentenced to 59 years for murder, concealment

http://www.rrstar.com/news/20170404/todd-smith-sentenced-to-59-years-for-murder-concealment

A Machesney Park man called his wife’s murder “an evil, senseless tragedy” today before he was sentenced to 59 years behind bars for killing the woman and dumping her body in the Rock River.

A jury convicted Todd C. Smith in January of the 2012 killing of his wife, Katrina Smith, 30. He maintains his innocence.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for failing in my role as husband and protector,” Smith, 49, said during his sentencing hearing before quoting from the Bible. “Katrina’s murder is an evil, senseless tragedy that left a trail of destruction in its path.

“Although I am not guilty as the state portrayed, I harbor no ill will,” Smith said, facing Winnebago County Judge Fernando Engelsma.

Engelsma agreed that Katrina Smith’s killing was “evil and senseless,” but stopped short of calling the murder a tragedy.

“The fact is, Todd Smith, you killed her. You beat her on the head with a blunt instrument and put her in the river,” Engelsma said. “Your actions after the crime then, I find unfathomable. You threw her in the river. A plastic bag going down the river to Oregon.”
 
“Although I am not guilty as the state portrayed, I harbor no ill will,” Smith said.

No ill will huh? Thank goodness he will never walk the streets again.
 

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