MORGANTOWN — One of two men accused in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old West Virginia University student Eric Smith pleaded guilty to his murder Tuesday. A trial for his co-defendant will be held next week.
Terrell Linear, 22, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and according to the terms of the plea deal will be sentenced to life in prison with mercy — meaning he will be eligible for parole in 15 years. Judge Susan Tucker accepted his guilty plea and dismissed a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.
Linear said he doesn’t remember much about the incident because of alcohol and drug use, but after reviewing the discovery in the case he said he recalled a confrontation with Smith, during which Smith struck him. He also remembered entering Smith’s apartment building, and shooting at Smith as Smith left the apartment.
Prosecutor Perri DeChristopher said if the case had gone to trial the state would have shown on Feb. 28, 2020, Smith and several other people, including Linear and his co-defendant Shaundarius Reeder, 21, traveled in a vehicle to an apartment complex where Smith and two women got out. Reeder and Linear had “no reason” to get out of the vehicle — as they were going to be dropped off at another destination — but they did and had a “physical altercation” with Smith.
DeChristopher said Smith and the two women then went into the apartment building and the two co-defendants followed him shortly after but did not find him on their first pass. They exited the building then went back in, this time locating the apartment Smith was staying in and pounding on the door. When Smith answered, Linear and Reeder both fired.
Forensic testing showed the gun Linear used was fired twice and Reeder’s was fired five times, DeChristopher said. Reeder had the gun used in the murder on him when he was arrested while Linear’s was in the car.
Reeder was offered the same plea deal as Linear, DeChristopher said. His attorney, William Summers, said Reeder refused the plea deal and they were anticipating going to trial next week.
In preparation for the trial, Tucker ruled on a motion by DeChristopher, which will not allow the toxicology report done during Smith’s autopsy to be brought up during the trial.
Additionally, Tucker ruled to split, or bifurcate, the jury’s determination of guilt and its determination of mercy. DeChristopher said if Reeder is found guilty, she plans to present the jury with evidence that just days before Smith’s murder he was arrested in Marion County and charged with possession of a firearm while possessing drugs and that he killed someone as a juvenile.
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