Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Slain man was naked and bound
Police look into ex-con's background
BY PERRY BROTHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati homicide detectives declared an Evanston man's death a homicide Tuesday and continued to hunt for clues as to why the 41-year-old was found dead, naked and bound on the third floor of his home.
Part of that investigation, as is routine, will be a look into Michael Anthony Smith's criminal background, according to homicide super visor Lt. Mike Jones.
“We look at everything,” Lt. Jones said. “Sometimes (a criminal history) can be an indicator as to motive. ... Also, people in criminal activity tend to associate with other criminals, which just tends to make their lives more dangerous.”
Mr. Smith was known as a helpful, caring neighbor on Bonaparte Avenue, where he had lived on and off for more than 10 years, after he served time in prison for manslaughter.
At age 20, Mr. Smith was convicted of trafficking in drugs and voluntary manslaughter connected with the shooting death of a woman who lived with him. He was sentenced to 15 years on the drug charges and 25 years on the manslaughter conviction.
However, court records show that by January 1983, Mr. Smith was out of prison and back in court, where he was convicted of assault.
No charges appear on Mr. Smith's Hamilton County record from 1988 to 1998, when a felonious assault charge against him was filed and dismissed.
No suspects have been identified in the killing of Mr. Smith, who was found dead by his girlfriend Monday morning. Lt. Jones would not release Mr. Smith's cause of death.
The killing was Evanston's 13th homicide since 1995. It is the city's fifth. Cincinnati police are seeking information in this case and this year's other unsolved homicide:
• Anthony Davis, 29, of Over-the-Rhine was shot and killed early New Year's Day. He was found dead just before 5 a.m. across the street from his home in the unit block of Findlay Street.
Anyone with information on these cases is asked to call the Cincinnati Police Division's Homicide Unit at 352-3542 or Crime Stoppers at 352-3040. Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information leading to arrest. Callers may remain anonymous.
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