CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County jury convicted a teenager Thursday for the Dec. 2020 execution-style shooting deaths of four family members.
Gavin Smith, 18, was found guilty on 3 counts of first-degree murder and 1 count of second-degree murder. The jury also convicted Smith on a firearms charge.
Smith shot and killed his mother, stepfather and two younger brothers on Dec. 9, 2020. The youngest was three-years-old.
The bodies of Risa Mae Saunders, 39, Daniel Dale Long, 37, Gage Ripley, 12, and Jameson Long, 3, were found a few days later in their Elkview area home on Cemetery Road.
The jury reached the second degree murder conviction in the death of Smith’s 12-year-old brother.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Kenneth Ballard who presided over the trial this week thanked the jury for their service before dismissing them Thursday afternoon.
“This has been a difficult case yet you’ve been consciousness and attentive throughout. You’ve sacrificed time from your work and families. You’ve performed your duties well,” Ballard said.
Smith, who was 16 at the time of the shootings, previously told deputies he was “overwhelmed” because he was homeschooled and his parents made him take care of his younger brother. Smith’s parents also kept padlocks on the inside back door and refrigerator.
BREAKING: Gavin Smith is found GUILTY of first degree murder on 3 of 4 counts, GUILTY of second degree murder on one count, and GUILTY of use of a firearm. @WVMetroNews @580WCHS pic.twitter.com/f3lHfU7reF
— Carrie Hodousek (@CarrieHodousek) December 8, 2022
The trial started on Monday. During Tuesday’s testimony, Smith’s ex-girlfriend Rebecca Walker, who is currently serving a 10 year prison term for helping Smith hide out, said Smith was frustrated his parents wouldn’t allow them to see each other. She said while they were on video chat on Dec. 9, 2020, she encouraged Smith to kill his family.
“I told him to hurry up and get it over with,” Walker testified.
Smith did not testify in his own defense.
Throughout the trial, the defense made it clear that Smith killed his family; however, they wanted the jury to decide whether it was considered first degree murder.
Both sides rested their cases Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday and three hours Thursday morning before the verdict was read just after 12 p.m. Thursday.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to comment.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 17, 2023 at 9 a.m.
Smith will automatically appear before the state Parole Board in 15 years because the crimes were committed when he was a juvenile.
MetroNews’ Jeff Jenkins contributed to this story.