CHARLESTON W.Va. — An Indiana man has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a Fayette County murder.
Andres Torres, 29, of Goshen, Indiana, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the chance of parole for first degree murder of Michelle Smith of Fayette County. A Fayette County jury convicted him following a three-day trial last October.
Torres’s co defendant, Amanda Soultz also pled guilty to first degree murder on Dec. 6 2024. Soultz will be sentenced on Feb. 11.
Torres and Soultz arrived in Fayette County from Indiana in late Jan. 2023.
According to Fayette Prosecutor’s release, Torres pawned a watch to Smith for $50. He later discovered the watch for sale on Facebook.
Discovering the watch on sale made Torres angry, which led him and Soultz to Smiths residence to get the watch back,
On Feb.16, 2023 Smith was kidnapped, robbed and murdered at her residence.
Both Torres and Soultz claimed that they were at Smiths house for a friendly gathering. However, evidence from the crime scene did not support their claims.
Torres was also sentenced Thursday to spend 1-5 years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy. He was already serving a 2-10 years prison term for beating up a fellow inmate at the Southern Regional Jail after he arrested for the Fayette County murder.
Story by Ananya Rautela