In a tragic turn of events stemming from a soured business deal, 52-year-old Walter Mitchell, a male resident of Peoria, Arizona, was killed in his home. The incident, which also claimed the life of his 42-year-old wife, Susie Ephrem, unfolded on November 11, 2023. The couple's 8-year-old grandson was present in the house at the time of the killings but was physically unharmed.
The tragic deaths were the result of a planned attack by 21-year-old Alexander Lee Smith of Gilbert.
Smith had been in communication with Mitchell to purchase his Ford Shelby GT500. However, the day before the murders, Mitchell canceled the sale because a wire transfer from Smith failed to go through. That same evening, Mitchell sold the vehicle to a car dealership. The following morning, Smith forcibly entered the couple's home and shot both Mitchell and Ephrem. Mitchell died at the scene, while Ephrem was able to call 911 before she succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
In a brazen move, Smith appeared at the crime scene the day after the murders, telling detectives he was there to pick up the car for a collector he claimed to work for. More than two weeks later, he went to the Peoria police station to inquire about taking possession of the vehicle. Investigators connected Smith to the crime through text messages with Mitchell, as well as fingerprint evidence found on a door handle and GPS data placing him near the residence at the time of the murders.
Alexander Lee Smith was arrested on the one-year anniversary of the murders, on November 11, 2024. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. For his crimes, Smith received two consecutive life sentences, ensuring he will spend the remainder of his life in prison.
