Martell Smith found guilty of second-degree murder in Homewood fire that killed 3
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - An Allegheny County man will be in jail for the rest of his life for a fire that killed two women and a girl in Homewood.
A jury convicted 45-year-old Martell Smith of killing three people in a house fire in Homewood almost five years ago in what prosecutors called an act of revenge.
A family member of two of the victims says they will never be able to get their loved ones back. She called Smith a coward and says he got what he deserved for killing three people. She added the loss of her family was especially heartbreaking because they were working on becoming closer.
Smith will serve three life sentences for killing 21-year-old Shamira Staten, her 4-year-old daughter Ch'yenne Manning and 58-year-old Sandra Carter Douglas in a fire.
Prosecutors said surveillance pictures showed Smith buying a gas can and filling it after getting in a fight with a man at a bar. Smith went to the man's house and doused the home in that gas and drove away. That fire burned for an extended period of time, killing the three people inside.
The defense argued that while their client had a motive, the police never looked for another suspect, but prosecutors say witnesses put Smith at the scene. They said he was bragging about it at the scene.
The jury found Smith guilty of three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of arson causing death among other charges. Smith maintained his innocence.
Prosecutors were seeking the death penalty if smith had been convicted of first-degree murder.
