Belva Smeltzer, a 67-year-old woman from Limestone, North Carolina, was tragically found dead on January 12, 2021. Authorities responded to a 911 call at a home on White Oak Gap Road, where they discovered Smeltzer had been fatally shot. The investigation quickly led to the arrest of Ronald Lonnie Haynes Sr., a 76-year-old man who lived with Smeltzer at the time of her death. Haynes was charged with first-degree murder for the shooting.
The trial for Ronald Lonnie Haynes Sr.
began with jury selection on August 8, 2023. The prosecution presented evidence that Haynes had premeditated the murder of Belva Smeltzer, painting a picture of a violent and malicious act. After a week-long trial, a Buncombe County jury found Haynes guilty of first-degree murder on August 16, 2023. Superior Court Judge David H. Strickland sentenced Haynes to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
District Attorney Todd Williams expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service and emphasized the importance of holding Haynes accountable for the cruel and premeditated murder of Belva Smeltzer. The conviction brought some measure of justice and closure to Smeltzer's family, who had endured the pain and loss of their loved one.
