Lamarie K. Smith, aged 24, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday for involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault charges in relation to the fatal beating of DeeAnna L. Summers, aged 29, at a residence on Victor Avenue in the East Side.
Smith contacted the police, reporting that he had been involved in a fight with Summers and that she had stopped breathing.
Summers, originally from Charleston, W.Va., later passed away at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
During the court hearing presided over by Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday, Jennifer Bonish, the assistant county prosecutor, stated that the prosecution would recommend a prison sentence of 19 to 24.5 years for Smith. Smith had been indicted on two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault.
According to jail records, Smith has been in custody at Mahoning County jail since February 29. The sentencing for Smith is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 8. Although his trial was initially set for June 24, his guilty plea has prevented the need for a trial.
