By Sam Wilmes

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

FORT DODGE, IOWA — Tyrone Washington Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday afternoon in the Aug. 5, 2013, stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend, Justina Smith.

The verdict was unanimous. Both Washington and Smith are from Northwood, Iowa.

The jury deliberated for approximately eight hours over Monday and Tuesday before delivering the verdict. The trial began last week. Washington took the stand Friday and closing arguments were delivered Monday.

Sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Worth County Courthouse. Washington faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole.

Jeanette Hanson, Smith’s mother, was relieved by the verdict.

“Justice has been served for my daughter,” Hanson said. “It’s taken such a long time. It doesn’t bring my daughter back, but I want to thank those involved with helping achieve justice. Hopefully we can start to heal.”

Attorney Charles Kenville said an appeal of the decision is likely. Kenville, Washington’s attorney, argued his 41-year-old client was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Smith, 30, 12 times in Swensrud Park in Northwood.

“We accept the decision of the jury, but obviously we’re disappointed,” Kenville said.

Kenville said he respected the trial process.

“The family of Justina Smith feels that justice has finally been served in this case,” a written statement from the family of Smith said. “Justice for Justina. We would like to thank Assistant Iowa Attorney Generals Laura Roan and Tyler Smith for all their work on this case, the jury for their consideration, and our family, friends, co-workers and community for their support, and a special thanks to Miranda Stearns from Crisis Intervention Service for all she has done for us.”

The jury heard testimony from Washington as well as Tyrone Jones, who was with Smith the day she was killed. However, Kenville noted discrepancies between Jones’s testimony and his deposition.

“He plunged the knife into her,” Roan said during closing arguments. “He fled at a high rate of speed toward his home state of Illinois. She was brutally attacked by the defendant with the specific intent to kill.”

Washington fled the scene of the crime in Smith’s 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix and led police on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 110 mph, until he was arrested in Scott County in Iowa. Kenville argued Washington fled the police because he was afraid the police wouldn’t listen to him.