The Virginia Beach native, who was out on bond while awaiting trial, was facing a second-degree murder charge that carried a prison sentence of from five to 40 years upon conviction. Entrepreneurs Summit A Virginia Tech football recruit is in jail facing murder charges for beating his Tinder date to death after learning he was a man and not the woman he met online. } Isimemen took to Twitter to simply say, God is good. This was his first tweet in nearly one year. Morgans arguments came after testimony from Etute and his mother Michelle. Someone is waiting for you. Etute testified that Smith was still breathing when he left, and the state's forensic detective testified the entire attack likely took only a few seconds. Women of Power Summit Do I? Etute practiced with the Hokies during spring camp after enrolling midyear from Cox High School in Virginia Beach. Etute, a Virginia Tech freshman linebacker at the time of the incident in May 2021, had been charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of five to 40 years, and the jury could have convicted him on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Virginia Tech announced that Isimemen Etute has been suspended from the football team immediately, and the university will aid police as they carry out their investigation into the suspected homicide. Former player Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of a charge of second-degree murder in the 2021 death of Jerry Smith, 40, of Blacksburg. tag: 'mandc,isimemen-etute', Also firmly in Etutes corner were his attorney, Jimmy Turk, and Turks family. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Duncan acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations, but in granting bail he said there was no evidence that Etute wouldnt appear for the trial or that he posed a danger to the community. CHRISTIANSBURG A now suspended Virginia Tech football player told police he punched a sexual partner five times in the face and stomped on him after discovering the person he thought was a woman was actually a man, according to arguments presented Wednesday in a Montgomery County courtroom. Isimemen Etute celebrates in Montgomery County Circuit Court Friday, May 27, 2022 in Christiansburg Va. Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP, Pool, Illinois woman's remains found over 5 years after she disappeared. Blacksburg Police have announced the arrest of a Virginia Tech student in connection to the death of a Blacksburg resident early Wednesday morning. The argument wasnt made by the attorneys on either side. Turk frequently teared up during his 45-minute closing statement and when talking to reporters about Etutes high character. Prosecutors initially filed an expedited appeal that would have kept the 18-year-old from Virginia Beach in jail for up to five more days, but agreed to his release once the two sides settled on . The medical examiners office had previously revealed that Smith had died from blunt force trauma to the head. - For people to unapologetically and fearlessly walk in their purpose. Instead, the jury believed a self-defense argument that Etute feared for his life after seeing the victim "make a reach" toward his bed where a knife was later found. The charges are a footnote to mistaken-gender killing, of which Isimemen David Etute was acquitted. In closing arguments Friday, the prosecution said Etute's recollection of events did not include a reach toward the area where the knife was hidden until after he'd been charged with murder. Upon the prodding of friends who suspected Angie was a man, Etute returned to the apartment on May 31, 2021. Etute and his parents headed home for Virginia Beach on Saturday morning to take a deep breath.. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning its verdict around 6:30 p.m., The Roanoke Times reported. Jensen had maintained that Etute had not acted in self-defense. targeting: { It will take time to decompress and feel relief from this gut-wrenching, frightening experience in life. Tim Sullivan HokieHaven The case stems from a death that happened May 31. Security camera footage in the apartment showed all three players leaving quickly, with Etute having spent only three minutes inside Smith's apartment. Isimemen Etute also took the stand in the three-day trial, where he shared he felt violated and argued that the act was in self-defense. Virginia Tech football coach Justin Fuente has not spoken publicly about Etutes arrest. Etute testified that he stomped on Smith's face as he departed the apartment, leaving a bloody shoe print on Smith's cheek in the process. He was recruited to the school as a three-star linebacker from Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach. Etute returned on May 31 and realized that Smith and Angie were the same person. Etute, who is charged with second-degree murder, was arrested on June 2. The former Virginia Tech football player accused of beating a Tinder date to death after mistaking him for a woman was acquitted of second-degree murder Friday. kw: 'mandc,isimemen-etute', He heard bubbling and gurgling as he left the apartment, but didnt call the police. 6'3" 185 lbs Sophomore. targeting: { Turk, Etute's lawyer, made arguments that Etute could not be convicted of second-degree murder because there was no malice in his actions and that he should be found not guilty by reason of self-defense, based on his fear that Smith had hidden a weapon. Roanoke City Council member Joe Cobb, who identifies as a member of the regions LGBTQ community, hopes one of the steps Etute takes is advocating on behalf of gender and sexual minorities. The two engaged in sexual activity with Etute not aware of Smiths sexual identity. The prosecuting attorney, Montgomery County Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Jensen, declined comment and referred questions to his boss, Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt. CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. -- Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of all charges Friday in the beating death of a Blacksburg resident following an online catfishing scheme. Jerry Paul Smith was allegedly beaten to death by Isimemen Etute. Charges - Arrested A freshman on the Virginia Tech Hokies football team has been charged in a homicide investigation. Etute returned to the apartment May 31 to engage in sexual activity and discovered the person he was matched up with was a man, according to summaries of the evidence made by both Morgan and defense attorney Jimmy Turk. Etute told investigators he punched Smith five times in the face and stomped on him, but didnt call police despite hearing bubbling and gurgling from the victim as he left the apartment. Etutes parents and sister attended the hearing in a packed courtroom that also included members of the Hokies football team, according to reports. Hes going to get his life back, and Im hopeful, said Jimmy Turk to reporters. Turk cited two cases in Virginia where defendants facing second-degree murder charges were released on bail. Cobb said he closely followed the proceedings after he read about the incident last year when it happened. The then 18-year-old was accused of fatally beating Smith, an openly gay man who had posed as a woman on the dating app Tinder to initiate a sexual encounter. The Blacksburg (Va.) Police Department responded to a welfare check Monday night where officers discovered a deceased male victim, according to the citys website. Isi Etute; Add Athlete Photo. Turks response to Morgan outlining the circumstances of the case was to emphasize that the victim solicited Etute for sexual activity. Etute was charged with second-degree murder and held in at the Montgomery County Jail, police said. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. INFORMATION according to 247sports. He referenced a 2002 case Jawad v. Commonwealth, and a local case involving Mark Ward Faville from 2015. According to testimony, Etute first connected with Smith in April 2021 on the dating app Tinder, with Smith posing as a woman going by the name "Angie Renee." On July 1, 2021 -- just more than a month after Smith's death -- Virginia passed a bill restricting the use of the so-called gay panic defense, in which a defendant accused of homicide could receive a lesser sentence by saying they panicked after finding out the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Montgomery County General District Court Judge Randal Duncan set a secured bond of $75,000 for Isimemen Etute, 18, of Virginia Beach, but he will remain in jail after prosecutors filed an expedited appeal, news outlets reported. You have permission to edit this article. Thats just wrong.. According toThe Roanoke Times, attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Etute was the real victim.. tag: 'mandc,isimemen-etute', Along with teammate Da'Shawn Elder, Etute went to Smith's Blacksburg apartment on April 10 under the assumption that he was meeting a woman. Isimemen Etute, 19, was found. Etute apparently told police he matched with a person named Angie on the dating app Tinder on April 10, and met for oral sex. Please subscribe to keep reading. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Virginia Tech football player Isi Etute told police he punched victim after meeting for sexual encounter. 6:57 Regular season highlights . His attorney, Jimmy Turk, told a judge the case was more than someone just showing up to an apartment and punching someone.. The student arrested is Isimemen Etute of Virginia Beach, Virginia, a freshman majoring in human development. Please enter valid email address to continue. The verdict came after a three-day trial and just over three hours of jury deliberations. He was the number 36 prospect in Virginia and 45 inside linebacker in the country, according to 247sports. Sept. 23, 2021 ]); During testimony Thursday, Etute said he entered Smith's apartment alone -- both teammates waited outside and were not charged with a crime -- and engaged with Smith on a bed. "I think the school that ends up taking him is going to get probably a lot wiser and a much smarter and an exceptional athlete.". Etute collapsed in tears as the verdict was read, with cheers erupting from a contingent of about 30 family members, supporters and former teammates. cnx({ Im trying to stay strong for the people that support me, I feel like Ive let a lot of people down. "I think the school that ends up taking him is going to get probably a lot wiser and a much smarter and an exceptional athlete.". Isi Etute. The American Nigerian, Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty of a charge of second-degree murder in the 2021 death of Jerry Smith, 40, of Blacksburg. 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