Derrick Smith, 41, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years, for the 2024 murder of his girlfriend, 39-year-old Norma Reano, at their home in Dutchtown. According to the Circuit Attorney’s Office, a St. Louis jury found Smith guilty of multiple charges, including second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
On July 19, 2024, Derrick Smith called 911, claiming that an unknown person had shot Norma Reano. However, the investigation later determined that Reano died from a close-range shotgun blast. Smith’s DNA was found on the shotgun, which was discovered hidden in the basement of their apartment complex, and gunshot residue was detected on his hands. During the trial, a former girlfriend testified that Smith had once threatened her with a shotgun during an argument and said he would kill her…