Husband Who Blamed His Wife’s Murder On A Panhandler Has Been Sentenced To Life
A Baltimore man who blamed his wife’s December 2018 fatal stabbing on a panhandler, but was eventually implicated and charged himself has been sentenced to sentenced to life in prison for her murder.
According to CBS Baltimore, Keith Smith, 55, was given the maximum sentence for the murder of his wife, Jacquelyn. He also received three years for a deadly weapon with intent to injure.
Keith Smith originally claimed he, his wife and daughter were driving down the street when they saw a woman, holding a sign that read, "please help me feed my baby," and carrying what appeared to be a baby.
When Jacquelyn took out her wallet to give the woman money, according to her husband, a man reached into the car, grabbed the wallet, stabbed her and ran away. She was stabbed at least five times and died later at a hospital. Both Keith Smith and Valeria Smith, their daughter, were with Jacquelyn Smith the night she was killed and told the police the panhandler story.
While the killing shocked people around the country, there was suspicion among Jacquelyn’s family. Her brother Marcel Trisvan never believed the story. “I already know it’s Keith,” he told the Baltimore Sun in early 2019.
By March of 2019, Keith and Valeria were arrested in Harlingen, Texas, near the border. Police believe the two were trying to flee the country.
Prosecutors said the victim was asleep in the car and that Smith stabbed his wife for insurance money. Valeria, who was a witness, helped cover it up, according to prosecutors.
Valeria testified against her father and pleaded guilty in September 2019 to accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. In December, she was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of probation.
The sister of the victim, Yzonne Saab, said after the sentence was announced, “This didn’t bring her back but we were elated and feel that definitely justice was served. And as I said on the record, the judge was very poignant and to the point. You could tell that she really reviewed this case thoroughly and made a decision that made us very happy.”
