Man Accepts Plea in 10-Year-Old Homicide

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A Baltimore man charged with the murder of Donte Vandiver over a decade ago accepted a plea offer on Aug. 30 at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Tyrell Smith, 38, accepted the prosecution’s plea of life, suspending all but 25 years, and five years probation for first-degree murder. He was also charged with handgun use in committing a crime.

“I’m a changed man now,” Smith told Judge Melissa M. Phinn during reception court on Monday. “I’m a different person. I’m not the same person I was back then.”

Smith was represented by defense attorney John Cox.

According to the prosecution, Baltimore Police were called to Belnord Avenue on May 24, 2010, and found a man lying on the street with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. The man, later identified as Vandiver, was taken to Johns Hopkins University Hospital where he died from his injuries.

The prosecutor said Vandiver’s girlfriend told police that they were inside her home when Vandiver told her he was going to leave and be right back. She said she then heard multiple gunshots outside her house, and her neighbor told her that Vandiver was shot.

The police investigation revealed that Vandiver was with a group of people and later left the area, returning to the group, saying, “Look what I got off of him,” referring to $1,500 he allegedly stole from Smith.

A witness told police that Smith killed Vandiver over the robbery, and Smith told police that Vandiver tried to rob him during a drug deal. Smith was later identified as the shooter in a photo array.

The Baltimore Sun reported that Smith is believed to have made a living by robbing drug dealers and selling the drugs himself. Smith was arrested on June 22, 2010, after a car chase through multiple neighborhoods that ended in Highlandtown.

The defendant’s case was previously discussed in court on June 30 and July 6.