Genai Coleman Murder: Where is Ronald Smith Today?

Genai Coleman Murder

Genai Coleman Murder: Where is Ronald Smith Now? – Genai Coleman, a teacher, was waiting to pick up her daughter on July 18, 2008, close to a bus station. A man brandishing a revolver then came up to her and tragically shot the 40-year-old woman in the chest before escaping the scene in her gold Dodge Stratus. The bus driver witnessed the man drag Coleman from her car to the ground before he fled quickly after hearing a gunshot. According to the Investigation Discovery episode “On the Case With Paula ZahnSeason 14 episode 16Identical Evidence,” bus driver informed detectives that the suspect was donning a “white shirt with a green shirt over the top.”

Georgia police discovered DNA on a cigarette butt at the scene of a carjacking in July 2008 that claimed the life of a 40-year-old schoolteacher. But they were confused by an unexpected turn. So if you want to learn more about this case, keep reading.

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How Did Genai Coleman Die

How Did Genai Coleman Die?

On October 2, 1967, in the Indiana city of Elkhart in Elkhart County, Genai G. Coleman was born. She was a three-time mother and an elementary school teacher in DeKalb County, Georgia. Her relatives recalled her plans to establish a preschool academy in her hometown. The 40-year-old woman was waiting to pick up her daughter on July 18, 2008, at around 9 p.m. in a parking lot close to Gwinnett Place Mall in Georgia. A witness heard a gunshot and saw Genai lying on the ground while her attacker stole her car.

When the witness dialled 911, the police responded promptly and discovered Genai in critical condition, barely holding on to life. She had been shot in the chest once, and the Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville declared her dead. The bus driver, who was the witness, was questioned by the police. He claimed that Genai was dragged from the car and taken off in a hurry by a black man wearing a “white shirt with a green shirt over the top.” The police swiftly opened an inquiry and searched for information to identify the offender. The gunshot wound was identified as her cause of death.

Who Killed Genai Coleman

Who Killed Genai Coleman and Why?

The next day, some 40 miles from the crime scene, the police discovered Genai Coleman’s stolen Dodge Stratus in the parking lot of a restaurant in Forest Park, Georgia. Forensic experts examined the vehicle found a cigarette butt inside and the offender’s fingerprints on the door frame. The police lab received all the forensic material and tested it there. To track down the killer, investigators also reviewed security footage from the crime scene and the location where the stolen car was recovered.

The cops searched the film from both locations and discovered a person wearing clothing that matched the witness’s description. He was seen walking through a parking area near where the victim’s stolen car had been dumped and buying a pack of smokes not far from the crime site. Furthermore, the brand of cigarettes he purchased in the opening video matched those discovered in the car.

While waiting for the DNA findings, the investigators realised they had located their murderer. When the police put it through the national database, they discovered that the murderer was a man, and they even received a CODIS hit. The DNA came from Donald Eugene Smith, a man with a history of drug-related convictions. Having identified their murderer, the Gwinnett County Police were confident. However, when Donald was taken into custody on February 3, 2010, he denied any involvement in the incident.

Donald contended that the DNA evidence was false and insisted that he had never seen the victim or her automobile. Things took a strange turn when the detectives showed Donald the surveillance tape. He insisted that Ronald Edward Smith, his identical twin brother, was the guy in the films and not him. Ronald owned everything, even the phone number the cops had tracked. For those who are unaware, identical twins have identical DNA profiles. Therefore, when DNA is split between twins, it cannot be distinguished.

The cops were in trouble when Ronald’s other family members—including his parents and sister—confirmed that the person in the video was Ronald. On February 6, 2010, Ronald was taken into custody. A detective testified that Ronald admitted to the crime and went on trial in October 2012 after his fingerprints matched those on the victim’s car, and cell tower data showed that his phone had been at the crime scene on the night of Genai’s murder.

Where is Ronald Smith Today

Where is Ronald Smith Now?

Ronald Smith said that the revolver accidentally discharged as he attempted to steal Genai’s car and that he had not intended to shoot her. Ronald reportedly asserted that he was not the criminal during his trial and blamed his twin brother instead. His defence counsel maintained that their client’s fingerprints were on the automobile because he had helped his brother clean it up.

The jury found the 54-year-old guilty of murder, carjacking and having a gun while committing a crime because they did not trust him. He received a life sentence for the murder, a 20-year term for carjacking, and a 5-year sentence for gun possession. His overall punishment was life in prison + 25 years. The Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo, Georgia, is where Ronald Smith is being detained.

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