Tuesday, March 14, 2000
Man gets life for 2 Butler murders
Killer took plea to avoid execution
BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — Anthony Larry Rudolph sat doubled over in court with his face in his lap as the relatives of the Union Township couple he killed confronted him in court Monday.
Dianna Arnett held up large photos of her father, Abram W. Smith III, and her 5-month-old daughter, Syndey, who was born three months after he was killed.
“I brought this photo of my daughter so Mr. Rudolph could see it,” she said at his sentencing hearing in Butler County Common Pleas Court. “Mr. Rudolph has done damage to me and my family that cannot be repaired.”
But Mr. Rudolph wouldn't look up.
In a plea bargain enabling him to avoid the death sentence, Mr. Rudolph, 42, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated robbery and two counts of having a weapon contrary to a court's order.
On July 30 of last year, he fatally shot Mr. Smith, 55, and Mr. Smith's long-time com panion, Jimilee Minix, 52, in their home and stole money, jewelry, keys and their car.
He surrendered to authorities in Licking County, Ohio, near Columbus on Aug. 5, the day the bodies were discovered.
A three-judge panel of Patricia Oney, Michael Sage and Matthew Crehan on Monday immediately sentenced Mr. Rudolph to two consecutive life sentences without parole and added 14 years.
Mr. Rudolph, who had previous felony convictions, had been doing odd jobs around the house for the couple for several years.
Union Township Police Detective Andrew Schweier testified Monday that Mr. Rudolph confessed to the killings in an Aug. 5 interview.
Although it wasn't clear why, Ms. Minix told him he had to leave the house. Mr. Rudolph went to the basement and shot Mr. Smith three times, the detective said.
He went back upstairs and argued with Ms. Minix. Mr. Rudolph hit her in the head with the gun, Detective Schweier said.
“She went from room to room,” he said. “He thought she was looking for a weapon. So he shot her twice.”
As Mr. Rudolph stood to be sentenced, he dabbed his eyes with a tissue. He made no statement in court.
His attorneys, Greg Howard and Craig Hedric, said he was extremely sorry for what he did. But they said they didn't know why he killed Mr. Smith and Ms. Minix.
“He can't recall a lot about that day's events,” Mr. Hedric said.
Mr. Smith's sister, Zula Johnson, said her brother eagerly anticipated the birth of his first grandchild.
“He had already begun buying things for his grandchild,” she said.
Ruby Arnett, Ms. Minix's sister-in-law, said the family believes Mr. Rudolph deserves to die for his crimes, but felt safer with a plea bargain than a trial.
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