‘Senseless ambush' kills mom of 5 at drum circle, OR reports say. Man convicted
A man has been convicted in a 'senseless ambush' that killed a woman at a drum circle event in Oregon, officials said.
Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was found guilty of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon in Ash Smith's death following a jury trial, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said in a June 6 news release.
McClatchy News reached out to Belcher's attorney June 9 and was awaiting a response.
The shooting happened May 8, 2022, near the Willamette River in Portland, prosecutors said.
The drum circle gathering began to break up, and 'multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw Ash Smith fall to the ground,' according to prosecutors.
Multiple witnesses gave statements to police, prosecutors said, 'including descriptions of the person who shot Ms. Smith.'
Belcher matched the descriptions and was found nearby, according to prosecutors, who said he had 'a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered in his waistband.'
Belcher and Smith were strangers to one another, KOIN reported, citing police.
Smith, 31, was described in an online obituary as 'loving, energetic, and a true warrior.'
The mom of five 'continuously fought for her place in this world, despite being given a bad hand time and time again' and she 'had an infectious laugh and was always a source of positivity, seeing the good in anybody,' the obituary said.
In the news release, Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin said, 'Ash Smith was truly an innocent victim. While she didn't deserve Wyatt Belcher's senseless ambush, she did deserve the compassion that the witnesses on scene showed her during her final moment. Three of those individuals had the strength to testify during this trial despite being deeply and personally affected by what they witnessed.'
A sentencing hearing is scheduled June 9, according to online court records.
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