Former college football player found not guilty of murder
Former Virginia Tech linebacker Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of a Blacksburg, Va., man on Saturday.
Jerry Smith was a 40-year-old man who matched with Etute on the dating app Tinder while posing as a 21-year-old woman named "Angie Renee" in an attempt to meet with straight college-aged men.
Etute went to Smith's apartment and received oral sex last year, but two other Virginia Tech players who reportedly matched with "Angie" on Tinder left Smith's home after saying they were uncomfortable, per ESPN.
A month later, Etute returned to the apartment to see if "Angie" was lying about their gender. He entered alone and determined that Smith was a man.
Etute testified that Smith reached for a weapon under his bed, and that he punched and kicked Smith several times in self-defense.
A knife was later found under the mattress.
Smith later died of the injuries and was found two days later by authorities. He had several teeth missing and every bone in his face was broken.
The police investigation began as a hate crime, but later in the year they arrested Etute on a second-degree murder charge once police connected him to the incident.
Virginia Tech suspended Etute indefinitely from the football program.
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