Career
On the night of Nicole"s death, Smith reported that he found her dead in her home, drowned in her bathtub, after returning from a trip to Idaho. The autopsy confirmed that drowning was the cause of death. Tooele is located approximately 18 miles west of Salt Lake City.
According to police, Smith walked into a Veteran"s Administration hospital building and confessed eight months after the fact.
Smith was since discharged from the Marines. On August 14, 2007, Smith pleaded guilty to a second-degree manslaughter charge as part of a plea bargain.
He was originally charged with first-degree felony murder. Smith and Nicole"s parents agreed to a plea bargain.
He was sentenced 1–15 years for 2nd degree manslaughter on October 9, 2007.
