Tyrese 'Trouble' Smith found guilty in Covington shooting death
Tyrese Smith. Courtesy of Alcovy Judicial Court
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Newton County jury has found Tyrese "Trouble" Smith guilty of murder and multiple other charges in the November 2023 shooting death of Baron "BJ" Kilpatrick, Jr., prosecutors announced.
What we know:
Smith was convicted late Wednesday of malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Police say the shooting happened Nov. 3, 2023, at an apartment in the Housing Authority complex on Alcovy Road. When Covington officers arrived, they found Kilpatrick with gunshot wounds to his body and head. He was taken for treatment but later died.
Prosecutors said evidence showed Smith robbed another person of a firearm while inside the apartment and then opened fire, striking Kilpatrick twice. Smith fled the scene but was later arrested. During questioning, he admitted to the shooting but claimed self-defense, a version investigators said was not supported by the crime scene or autopsy results.
The trial began Monday with jury selection and concluded Wednesday afternoon. Jurors deliberated less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts on all counts.
District Attorney Randy McGinley said Smith faces a minimum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. He praised the work of the Covington Police Department, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, GBI Crime Lab, and his office’s prosecution team.