Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Andrea Reeb, announced that David Smith, age 40, of Portales, NM, was sentenced today for the crimes of Second Degree Murder and Second Degree Kidnapping. Smith was sentenced to 15 years, and would serve 12 and one-half years in prison, with the remainder of the sentence served on supervised probation/parole.
On November 21, 2015, William Vaughn was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital from Roosevelt General Hospital. Vaughn died a short time later from traumatic brain injury, burns to his body and severe bruising throughout the majority of his body. According to eye witnesses, Vaughn was visiting Smith’s home on November 20, 2015, when a fight ensued between the two men. Vaughn was alleged to be severely beaten and then held in a locked room at the home for over 24 hours before being taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Sentencing was held Friday, May 12, 2017, before the Honorable Donna Mowrer..
Deputy District Attorney Jake Boazman prosecuted the case for the State of New Mexico.
For more information, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at 575-769-2246.
(News release from Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office)