By Stewart Voegtlin
stewart@jacksonprogress-argus.com

[The following article contains reporting by The Barnesville Herald-Gazette and is reprinted here with permission.]

Lamar County resident Ronald Eugene Smith, 29, was given a life sentence plus 20 years by Judge Tommy Wilson after a Lamar Superior Court jury found Smith guilty on five counts stemming from the January 2009 murder of Charles Graves Adams.

Smith was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of firearm during commission of a crime, possession of a firearm by convicted felon, and tampering with evidence. Jurors returned their verdicts in just over one hour.

Assistant District Attorney Scott Johnston assumed lead counsel on the case, with the assistance of District Attorney Richard Milam.

Johnston has eight years experience as a prosecutor, once worked the Monroe County area, and is now in charge of Lamar County.

“It was an excellent trial and a case that Scott Johnston has been a part of since the murder occurred," said Milam. "Scott was on the job, got a call, and went to the scene of the crime last January. Both he and Investigator Scott Thurston spent the whole day there and it was a 'Whodunnit' for 12 hours."

Milam spoke highly of investigator efforts that turned up the murder weapon and other clues that linked Smith to the crime.

"A dog handler traced Smith's steps and found his rifle that had been submerged in a creek bed," said Milam. "It was impossible to see the rifle in the water, but he found it. It was like something from the movies."

Smith shot and killed his neighbor Charles Graves Adams, 56, on the morning of January 30, 2009. Prosecutors characterized the shooting as a methamphetamine transaction gone bad. Adams was shot in the face with a high-powered rifle and reportedly died instantly on the front porch of his Grove Street Duplex in Lamar County.

Milam prioritized the Smith case for trial last October.

Smith pled not guilty to the charges and his trial was underway on Tuesday, January 26. Both sides gave opening arguments and the state called its first in a long list of witnesses.

Johnston described the state's version of how the shooting of Charles Adams took place.

Defense attorney Wanda Johnson announced her intent to not question many of the law enforcement witnesses called to the stand to discuss evidence. She also hinted that Smith might take the stand in his own defense.

There were indications Smith would testify on his own behalf. After deliberations with his attorney, public defender Wanda Johnson, and family members he decided not to do so.

Johnson offered up no other witnesses. In her closing argument, she tried to convince jurors to accept Smith's story that he was showing his alleged victim, Charles Graves Adams, the gun when the shooting occurred. Smith claimed a shell was hung in the chamber and the gun went off when he released the bolt with his finger on the trigger.

Earlier in the afternoon, GBI crime lab firearms expert Dr. Francis (Jay) Jarvis testified that such a scenario was a near impossibility. He said he tested the rifle in the lab and it was working properly.

In his closing argument, Assistant District Attorney Scott Johnston told the jury Smith went across the road to Adams' house with his wife's shoes on, his jacket turned inside out with full intent to kill.

Judge Tommy Wilson gave Smith the maximum sentence of life plus 20 years. He also ordered DFCS into the home of his wife to make sure their three kids are not impacted by methamphetamine use in the home on which Smith partially blamed his actions.

“I don't understand the pardons and paroles process but you don't need to come back out," Judge Wilson told Smith.

“In the end, the jury just did not believe Mr. Smith's lies," Milam said.