Man sentenced in Springdale robbery and killing

BENTONVILLE — A Springdale man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the robbery and killing of 62-year-old Edward Abel.

James Michael Smith, 49, pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree and aggravated robbery, both Class Y felonies. The plea was under an agreement that Prosecutor Nathan Smith reached with (James) Smith’s attorneys Drew Ledbetter and Tyler Benson. James Smith was charged with capital murder, but the prosecutor agreed to reduce it to first degree murder as part of the plea agreement.

Abel was pronounced dead Aug. 16, 2013, at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale. Springdale police were called at 11:15 p.m. Aug. 13, 2013, to Abel's home on East Brown Road. He lived in the portion of Springdale in Benton County.

Police found Abel on his kitchen floor.

A woman reported Abel left a message on her voice mail, according to court documents. The woman could hear Abel pleading with people who demanded to know where he kept a safe. Abel also could be heard telling someone to take his wallet because that was all he had, according to court documents.

Nathan Smith said in court that John Armando Guerra and James Smith broke into Abel’s home and Guerra stabbed Abel to death when the two struggled.

James Smith told Circuit Judge Brad Karren that he (Smith) had not been coerced by anyone into pleading guilty and he understood he was waiving his rights to a jury trial and an appeal.

James Smith, who was dressed in black and white jail attire, said he wanted to apologize to Abel’s family and it was never his intentions for Abel to be killed.

“I apologize to everybody, especially Mr. Abel’s family,” James Smith said.

Nathan Smith told the judge that law enforcement and Abel’s family did not object to the plea agreement.

The judge accepted the plea agreement and Smith’s guilty pleas to first degree murder and aggravated robbery.

Smith was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder and he received a 40 year suspended sentence for the aggravated robbery. He will have to serve at least 21 years before he is eligible for parole.

The judge also ordered Smith not to have any contact with Abel’s family members.

Ledbetter said it was important to Smith that people know that he did not take part in Abel’s murder.

“Jim did not do the stabbing,” Ledbetter said. “Jim participated in the robbery, but did not know anyone was going to die.”

(James) Smith and Guerra were attempting to steal gold coins from Abel, according to court documents.

Nathan Smith said after the hearing that Abel had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of coins in his home. The coins were recovered by Springdale police.

“He ( James Smith) did not know Mr. Abel was going to get hurt,” Ledbetter said. “He did no know his co-defendant (Guerra) very well.”

Nathan Smith told the judge that Abel’s family members were retrieving his gold today from the Springdale police.

Guerra previously pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated robbery in connection with Abel’s death. Guerra was sentenced to life in prison without parole for capital murder and 40 years in prison for aggravated robbery.

Pamela Jerrolds of Springdale, John Adams of Springdale and Sydney Adams of Duncan, Okla., have pleaded guilty to theft-related charges in connection with the theft of gold and silver coins from Abel. They each were placed on probation and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution. The three weren't arrested in connection with Abel's murder.

A man told police James Smith asked him to assist with a robbery where someone would hold an "old man" while someone else searched for a safe that contained gold and silver, according to court documents. The man refused to participate in the crime.

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