Alexander Lee Smith, 21, shot and killed an Arizona couple inside their home after a botched car sale in November 2023
NEED TO KNOW
- Alexander Lee Smith was sentenced last Friday to two consecutive life sentences for the Nov. 2023 murders of Walter Mitchell and Susie Ephrem
- Smith shot and killed the couple inside their Peoria, Ariz., home after a deal to buy Mitchell’s rare Mustang fell through
- Smith had twice tried to convince police he had purchased the car from Mitchell before investigators grew suspicious, leading to his confession and arrest a year later
An Arizona man has received two consecutive life sentences for murdering a couple in 2023 who owned a car that he wanted to purchase, one day after their transaction fell through.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing last Friday, detailing how investigators were able to tie Alexander Lee Smith to the November 2023 double homicide.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the 21-year-old man “forced his way” into the home of Walter Mitchell and Susie Ephrem and shot both of them. Ephrem was able to call 911 but later died from her wounds at a local hospital, while Mitchell died at the scene…