Kenneth Roth murderer was sentenced to life in prison for the 2009 murder of Linda Smith, a 61-year-old nurse.
It took investigators over eight years to solve the case, which had gone cold until authorities used DNA evidence found at the crime scene to connect Roth to the murder.
Smith had been found gagged, strangled with her underwear, and mutilated in her house during a welfare check.
Roth, who died of COVID-19 in April 2020 while serving his sentence, never revealed how many people he had killed.
During the trial, Stark County prosecutors argued that Roth had strangled Smith with her underwear and mutilated her body.
Family members, who learned the gruesome details of her death during the three-and-a-half-day trial, were relieved and emotional after the guilty verdict was handed down
Smith’s younger brother, William Van Voorhis, said he was afraid the nightmare would continue, but Roth’s life sentence provided some relief.
Roth showed no emotion throughout the trial and remained composed during his sentencing.
The trial centered on the reliability of the DNA link to Roth and his whereabouts on the night of the murder.
The jury deliberated for several hours before reaching a guilty verdict.
Some jurors said that while the DNA evidence played a part, there were too many coincidences to ignore, such as Roth’s admission to police about likely being at Smith’s home on the day of the murder.
Roth’s criminal past was not discussed during the trial and was only mentioned by the assistant prosecutor at sentencing.
Roth had been convicted and imprisoned for the murder and robbery of a Topeka, Kansas, taxi driver in 1969 and for felonious assault in 1998 in Stark County.
Roth was in prison on a federal weapons conviction when he was charged with Smith’s murder last spring. Sheriff George Maier and Major C.J. Stantz personally escorted Roth from the courtroom after his sentencing.
Maier inherited the cold case from former Sheriff Tim Swanson, and Stantz interviewed Roth during the investigation. He said he was glad that justice was served and that Smith’s family could finally have closure.
Assistant Stark County Prosecutor Dennis Barr recommended a sentence of life without parole for Roth, which was ultimately granted.
During sentencing, Barr called Smith’s death “horrific” and “unspeakable” and said he had never seen anything like it in his 30 years as a county prosecutor. He described Roth as “evil” and thanked the jury for their service.
Kenneth A. Roth Convicted
Kenneth A. Roth was convicted of the murder of Linda Smith in 2009 and sentenced to life in prison. It took investigators over eight years to solve the case, and it was only through DNA evidence that they were able to connect Roth to the murder.
Despite his conviction, Roth never revealed how many people he had killed. The trial centered on the reliability of the DNA evidence and Roth’s whereabouts on the night of the murder.
While the jury was split at the start of deliberations, they ultimately reached a guilty verdict based on the combined evidence presented.
Roth’s criminal past was not discussed during the trial but was mentioned at sentencing. Sheriff George Maier and Major C.J. Stantz personally escorted Roth from the courtroom after his sentencing.
The assistant prosecutor recommended a sentence of life without parole, which was granted. Linda Smith’s family finally has closure, and justice has been served.
