On April 1, 2022, the trial against Alexander Christopher Ewing started for the 1984 rape-murder of Patricia Louise Smith.
On April 5, the state and the defense rested their cases. Closing arguments were set for Wednesday afternoon after which the case was in the hands of the jury.
On Thursday, April 7, 2022 Ewing was convicted of first-degree murder- after deliberation, felony murder- robbery, and felony murder- sexual assault. Sentencing is scheduled for April 12 at 10am.
The State had to convince the jury that there is no innocent explanation for Ewing’s DNA (semen) found at the crime scene. The defense has indicated that not all evidence pieces carried Ewing’s DNA or prints. The State explained that this is possible when someone wears gloves.
The defense had to convince the jury that evidence pieces without Ewing’s DNA and/or prints indicate he was not at the crime scene and give an innocent explanation for the presence of his semen at said crime scene. They offered that most likely cross-contamination from police or lab technicians handling the Bennet Family murders evidence pieces were responsible.
He will be sentenced to the law as applied in 1984 so life but with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 20 years.
UPDATE: On April 12, Judge Tamara Russell sentenced Ewing to life but with the possibility of parole after 20 years. That was the sentence for first-degree murder in 1984. The defense has signaled that they will appeal the case.
“Ewing was serving a 110-year sentence in Nevada for a 1984 ax-handle attack on a couple in Henderson when he was identified as a suspect in the Bennett and Smith murders. That break in those two long-cold cases came when Ewing’s DNA was taken by Nevada authorities in 2018, and it matched DNA from the Smith and Bennett crime scenes. After fighting extradition, he was moved to Colorado in early 2020 to face charges in the two cases.”
Ewing is also serving three consecutive life sentences for the Bennett Family murders. In that case, he’s not expected to be eligible for parole for at least 45 years.
Rest in peace, Patricia Louise Smith.