HUSBAND CONVICTED OF EXECUTION-STYLE MURDER OF WIFE

Defendant Attempted to Use Teenage Daughter as Cover-Up for Killing

Atlanta- Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction by jury trial of Defendant Orlando Smith. Jurors convicted Smith, 41, on Friday of two counts of Felony Murder, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon for the shooting death of his wife Demetria Smith, 47.

Mrs. Smith was shot execution-style in the back of the head on the night of May 25, 2010 at the couple’s Delowe Drive home in Southwest Atlanta. At the time of her death, the victim’s hands were bound and a sock was placed in her mouth. After killing his wife, the Defendant tripped his house alarm in hopes that police responding to the scene would discover his wife’s body. Defendant Smith went to his teenage daughter’s home in the interim and asked the girl to vouch for his whereabouts should someone ask. The two drove back to the couple’s home the next morning. During the drive, Smith told his daughter to discard the bloody clothes he was wearing the night before out of the window. Once they arrived at his home, Defendant Smith pretended to ‘discover’ his wife’s body and then called police. Under further questioning by police, the teenager admitted that her father had asked her to lie for him and to throw out his clothes. Police were able to recover the clothing which further testing revealed did have the victim’s blood on them as well as gun powder residue. Friends of the victim testified at trial the woman was planning to leave her husband the very next day.

Orlando Smith was sentenced to life in prison plus ten years by presiding Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Leif Howard of the Major Case Division with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Edward Chase and Senior DA Investigator David White. Investigator Nicole Esquilin of the Atlanta Police Department led the initial investigation.

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov