Husband Found Guilty in Murder of Van Kress Heiress
Hawaii – James Smith of Breakout City has been found guilty in the murder of his wife, Victoria Van Kress. The couple had been married just a few short days and were on honeymoon in Maui when Smith called 911 from their hotel room. Victoria was already deceased by the time paramedics arrived on the scene. She had been strangled.
The jury unanimously found Smith guilty of the crime. The couple had a heated argument the night before Van Kress was murdered. One of his fingerprints was found on her neck where she’d been strangled to death. The family of the heiress has also leveled charges of embezzlement against Smith, accusing him of stealing thirty million from their charity, For Love of Lydia. The prosecution posited that Victoria had discovered her husband’s theft of the money, which led him to kill her. The jury found the evidence compelling - deliberations lasted less than an hour. The sentencing hearing will be held in a few days.
A spokesman for the Van Kress family has said that Victoria’s family is grateful that justice will be served. Members of the family were present throughout the trial, and some were called upon as witnesses. Notably absent was her grandfather, Martin Van Kress. The ninety-year-old billionaire was not well enough to travel.
Smith wept in the courtroom, still maintaining his innocence. Smith’s attorney has vowed to appeal. He has publicly stated that there was misconduct during the investigation and that his office was not given access to vital records that could have helped exonerate his client.
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