MORGANTOWN — One of two men who murdered 21-year-old WVU student Eric J. Smith Feb. 28, 2020, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Terrell Linear, 22, apologized to Smith’s family at Thursday’s hearing.
“I take complete and full responsibility for my actions, the same actions I’m sure I’ll regret for a lifetime,” he said. “I have to live with the weight on my shoulders, knowing I took something beautiful and irreplaceable from y’all and for that I’m sorry.”
Linear said his actions that night were very unlike him, describing himself as a devoted family member, loving father, husband and brother. He said his actions were heavily influenced by Xanax and alcohol.
After Smith was shot and killed, Linear and his co-defendant, Shaundarius Reeder, were captured at Walmart. The woman giving them a ride had dropped Smith and two others off at College Park apartments. The two men then demanded she drive them to Fairmont. She was alerted to the shooting when a friend of Smith’s called saying he had been shot. The woman driving them said she had to use the bathroom and called 911. Linear has been in North Central Regional Jail since.
Linear spoke about the holiday’s he’s missed, family he’s lost and realized those are all things Smith will never have again.
Multiple members of Smith’s family spoke at the sentencing.
“I’ve had many jobs and responsibilities in my life, but the only one that truly mattered was being the mother of Eric,” Christina Mohrmann said. “There is a hole in my heart due to Eric’s death.”
She said every day is a challenge and spoke about the pain of each first since he was murdered, such as the first Mother’s Day and the first summer he wasn’t home.
Mohrrmann was unable to continue reading her statement about halfway through and her husband, Chris, who said he had the proud honor of being Smith’s step-father for 17 years, finished it for her before reading his own statement about the pain the family has experienced.
Smith was talented and early on it was clear he was exceptional at everything he set his mind to, Smith said. He spoke of family vacations to Ocean City, Md. and deep sea fishing trips and a planned trip to Las Vegas to celebrate Smith’s 21st birthday that never happened.
Eric was given a death sentence, and his family was given a life sentence. Why should Linear get anything else, Chris asked.
“We didn’t do this. Terrell Linear and Shaundarius Reeder did,” he said. “They should be reminded every day for the rest of their lives of the crime they committed.”
Linear pleaded guilty to first-degree murder June 1. As part of the plea deal, he was given mercy, meaning he is parole eligible after 15 years.
Reeder was convicted by a jury June 10, following three days of trial. The jury was unable to unanimously decide if Reeder should receive mercy.
It was unclear what the law required Judge Susan Tucker — who accepted Linear’s guilty plea, sentenced him, and oversaw Reeder’s trial — to do in the case of a hung jury in the mercy phase of a trial.
Tucker, the prosecution and Reeder’s defense attorney’s, agreed to send the case to the state supreme court in the form of a certified question.
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