By Jim Hannah
Enquirer staff writer

BURLINGTON - A Florence man has admitted he shot the mother of his children as she came home with bags of birthday presents for them.

Michael Hopkins made the confession in Boone Circuit Court on Thursday as part of a plea agreement reached with Commonwealth's Attorney Linda Tally Smith. He killed 22-year-old Crystal Smith on March 10, 2003, at her apartment in the Greens of Turfway complex in Florence.

Hopkins pleaded guilty to wanton murder in exchange for Linda Tally Smith recommending 20 years in prison. Under that recommendation, he wouldn't be eligible for parole until he served 85 percent, or 17 years, of his sentence.

Wanton murder means Hopkins should have known he was likely to cause a death, but that the killing was not intentional.

Judge Stan Billingsly will sentence him at 9 a.m. Oct. 6 at the Boone County Justice Center.

Hopkins had one of his attorneys read a letter aloud. It asked for forgiveness from Smith's family, who were present. Hopkins wrote that he didn't mean to kill Smith.

Hopkins has contended since his arrest that the fatal shooting was an accident.

"I'm just happy it is over for the family's sake," said Linda Tally Smith. "If a jury had found Mr. Hopkins guilty, the legal process would not have ended. The family would have faced years' worth of appeals. A plea agreement cuts out that prolonged aspect of criminal cases."

Hopkins waited inside Smith's apartment while she shopped for birthday party supplies for two of the couple's three children. One of the child's birthdays was the day before the killing. Another child's birthday was the day after the killing.

When Smith returned to her apartment, Hopkins was in the doorway with a .25-caliber pistol in his right hand and a 9 mm in his left, police said. Hopkins cursed at Smith, told her to get inside and slapped her in the head, police said. A detective said a struggle followed, and the .25-caliber discharged, hitting Smith once in the head.

Police found the gun in a nearby Dumpster.

Hopkins and Smith had moved into the apartment complex together, but at the time of the shooting, Hopkins was living several doors down with another woman.

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E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com