Alan Smith has been arrested for first degree murder:
http://www.bothell-reporter.com/news/213349861.html
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Bothell-man-arrested-in-wifes-murder-213321531.html
Sounds like the case is still coming together but KOMO reports that the Bothell Police Department was comfortable enough to make an arrest.
The comments thread where this is being discussed on my site is https://wildninja.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/murdering-susann-smith/#comments.
Remember, this is not a conviction, and it doesn’t mean Alan Smith stays behind bars or forfeits his life. It could be a tricky case to prosecute and it’s the kind of case that could attract a brash, big name attorney.
But– go Bothell PD! This is what the people have been waiting to hear. More later… people need to keep coming forward with information about the parties involved to see this through. Please don’t be shy about contacting the Bothell Police with information. Sometimes it’s details that seem insignificant that can crack a case wide open.
Most importantly, please keep Alan and Susann’s two children in your thoughts and prayers. Learning that your dad has been arrested for murdering your mom can be a horrifying and life-altering experience. It’s something they will always have to live with no matter what the outcome of the case in court is. And if he’s found not guilty, I still don’t know of any legal barriers that would keep him from getting custody of his children.
This isn’t over, but it’s good news. Susann’s friends and family– we both grieve and rejoice with you.
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Truth, Justice, and All-American Allergen-Free Apple Pie 
Has anything new happened so far about the trial? I haven’t heard anything for some time…
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No, I haven’t. If someone else has current info. feel free to post it. I’m not surprised, though, since taking a case like this to trial can take a while. I’m sure at some point there will be a flurry of activity again.
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I could not be happier that Alan Smith has been arrested and I know the rest of our small bothell community feel the same way. Though our neighborhood will not be the same again after the brutal lose of Susan Smith, it is nice to finally have someone behind bars. I don’t know much about the justice systems proceedings so I thought I would come here to ask a couple questions. I see that his bail was set at a million dollars. He is still in jail. I am unable to find a court date for him on the courts page, but superior court dates may not be show. I was curious as to what steps would be taken next. Will there be court dates? Will he be officially chared? Trial? Etc etc…
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Here’s the part where I have to add the disclaimer, “I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV either.” I’ve always had to work so earned my M.A. in forensic psych while working since going to law school and working wasn’t possible in my case.
I would think arraignment would happen next. That’s when they tell him he’s formally charged with first degree murder and then he enters a plea. A decent explanation of the process in WA is here: http://www.glblaw.com/criminal-defense-and-the-court-process. That does not constitute an endorsement of that law firm, especially since their page talks about pre-TRAIL hearings (typo!).
If bail’s set at a million, then he’d usually have to come up with about 10 percent of that to make bail. BUT, I don’t know details about the bail though, so don’t know if he’d have to come up with part, full, or whatever. It’s obviously been set high for a reason (plus he’s a flight risk). Anyone know the specifics in this case?
An explanation of bail is at http://www.cascadebailbonds.com/Bail-Bonds-How-Bail-Works-Everett-WA.html. According to a comment on KOMO that’s the company used for bail when he was arrested for obstructing. There was a mention of Mike Rocha being involved with Cascade in that comment– Mike’s not a dude fugitives should be running from. Sno. Co.’s bail page is at http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Corrections/About/Exiting_Jail.htm.
And you’re right; I don’t see any live links to this case on the WA State Courts website. Only the top link of the five I’m pasting leads to details and that appears to be the divorce case. I didn’t realize that he was the one who filed (he’s listed as the petitioner).
1 Smith, Alan Justin
PETITIONER Snohomish Superior 11-3-03015-8 11-18-2011
2 Smith, Alan Justin
Defendant Bothell Municipal 26911 06-21-2013
3 Smith, Alan Justin
Defendant Sno Co-south Div 3Z0556993 06-26-2013
4 Smith, Alan Justin
Defendant Sno Co-everett Div 2864A-13F 07-02-2013
5 Smith, Alan Justin
Defendant Sno Co-everett Div PC13-1918 06-28-2013
Should be interesting to find out who represents Smith.
Just for kicks, I heard an ad on KOMO radio the other day to the effect of “anyone with a cell phone or computer nowadays thinks they’re the news… KOMO brings you the facts.” It cracked me up because even though I often refer to KOMO, blogs are where people go to get news and info. too. Blogs also usually offer more intelligent conversation that the comments flying around on news websites, which are often crude and confrontational. And some people want to hear opinions, not just “facts” that claim to be unbiased.
In this case I’m not trying to be the news, but to offer opinions on the news, which developed into a discussion forum. Anyway, I’m grateful to the work certain media outlets have done on this case because that’s where I get most updates from. But regular news has become entirely too buttoned up, hairsprayed, airbrushed, predictable, and enunciated in an affected manner to keep everyone engaged… so thank goodness for the rogues of the world wide web and the outlaws of the airwaves like Jesse Jones who break out of the traditional news mold, right? That just tickled me.
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Hadn’t looked at the news yet tonight when I wrote that. Looks like Smith was charged today and remains held on $1,000,000 bail: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130702/NEWS01/707029866#Bothell-man-charged-with-first-degree-murder-of-wife.
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I pulled this off the KOMO page today and wanted to share…
Click to access 103371.pdf
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Thank you for this!
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I rejoiced when I heard the news I had been waiting for so long. I pray that everything will go well, that the children, for whom this experience must be the hardest one in their lives, will have a home where they can grow to be happy. Every death is in vain, there is nothing good about anybody dying, but I hope that this gruesome murder will be punished the way it has to be and that finally, Susann will be brought justice. I miss her.
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I agree, bravo the the Bothell PD! I hope the interval of days that passed since he posted bond earlier this week was so they could be sure of their evidence before charging….I do not think this will be a particularly easy case to try.
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I know from personal experience about having a murderer in the family, my son Patrick has been locked up since 1992 for the cold blooded killing of his GF Jessica Witt. It is painful for the families of the victims and for the families of the criminals. In this case it is doubly painful for the family.
A woman named Charity Lee’s son Paris, age 13, killed and sexually assaulted her four year old daughter Ella, age 11. Paris is no 19 and in “big boy’s prison” a certified psychopath without remorse or conscience. He killed Ella to hurt his mother.
My son killed not only his victim, but her family and his own family as well. My son should stay in prison for the rest of his life and I hope he does.
I hope there can be some resolution for both the families of the victim, and the murderer, and especially for those children who will suffer a double loss.
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