Raiders' Smith to Face New Charges in 3 Brutal Murders
Former Oakland Raiders star Anthony Wayne Smith now faces charges in association with three murders committed in 1999 and 2001. He has already been charged in the murder of Maurilo Ponce, but after the trial ended in a hung jury, Smith has been awaiting a retrial.
According to authorities, in 1999, Kevin and Ricky Nettles were kidnapped from their business. The next day their bodies were found, and evidence showed that the men had been tortured before being shot with a 9-millimeter handgun. Smith is charged with torture and kidnapping in connection with that case.
Then in 2001, Dennis Henderson and Terry Ware were also kidnapped; Ware was released, but Henderson was not so fortunate. His body turned up in the back of a rental car, and evidence showed he had been tortured and stabbed repeatedly. Henderson had also been robbed, and that charge is in addition to the torture and murder charges against Smith.
As of now, a motive is still unknown, and the district attorney has not commented on whether she will seek the death penalty. A decision to file capital charges, though, means that Smith could face the death penalty if found guilty. The district attorney has said she will not make a formal decision until "closer to the trial."
Smith is currently awaiting a retrial after a jury was hopelessly deadlocked in the case of the murder of Maurilo Ponce, who was murdered in 2008. The 31-year-old's body was found with six gunshot wounds, including two to the head.
"This came as quite a surprise," Smith's defense attorney Michael S. Evans told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Evans was aware his client was being investigated but did not expect charges to be filed.
Smith is being held without bail as he awaits retrial, and will be arraigned on July 17 to face the new charges.
