The jury has received instructions from the judge on Monday afternoon in the murder trial of Travion Devonte Smith as they prepared to decide his fate.
Attorneys and Prosecutors made their closing arguments as the sentencing phase of the trial came to a close on Monday. Smith was found guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing and beating death of former Bladen County resident Melissa Huggins-Jones last week.
Smith was charged with first-degree murder along with co-defendants Ronald Anthony Jr. and Sarah Redden. Anthony Jr. has accepted a plea agreement and received a sentence of life in prison. Redden is still facing charges in the matter.
Smith could receive the death penalty or a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. According to WTVD, a Wake County jury has not handed the death penalty since 2007.
In Friday’s testimony, witnesses testified Smith had a history of probation violations and communicated with gang members.
In their closing arguments to the jury, prosecutors argued that Smith was present in Huggins-Jones’ apartment and helped to kill her. Prosecutors showed the jury photos of Huggins-Jones’ injuries and pointed out to the jury that she was stabbed in the face.
Prosecutors reminded jurors of the medical examiner’s testimony in which she said that Huggins-Jones would have known she was dying from her injuries and was unable to summon help.
The defense argued that Smith is guilty of first-degree murder but that he should not receive the death penalty. Instead, the defense made the argument for life in prison.
Last week, during the sentencing phase of the hearing, jurors heard testimony from Smith’s family and friends about his difficult childhood and they also heard from family and friends of Huggins-Jones.
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