An Arizona man, Alexander Lee Smith, has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of a couple in November 2023. Smith, 21, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary for shooting Walter Mitchell, 52, and Susie Ephrem, 42, after a car sale turned violent.
The Deadly Dispute Over a Sports Car
Smith and Mitchell had been in discussions about the sale of a Ford Shelby GT500. However, when Smith’s wire transfer failed, Mitchell canceled the deal and sold the car to a dealership instead.
The next day, Smith went to Mitchell and Ephrem’s home, where he fatally shot them both, despite being aware that the car deal had fallen through.
The couple’s 8-year-old grandson was present at the time of the shooting but was unharmed. Authorities later confirmed signs of forced entry into the home, which suggested the crime was a targeted attack.
The Crime Scene and the Investigation
Peoria police were called to the home at 4:12 a.m. on November 11, 2023, after Ephrem called 911 to report the shooting. Mitchell was found dead at the scene, and Ephrem was rushed to the hospital, where she later died of her injuries.
Smith initially gave a false story to detectives, claiming he was a car collector who had purchased the car from Mitchell and was there to pick it up. However, two weeks later, Smith attempted to claim the car once again, this time at the Peoria Police Department.
His story had changed, and authorities quickly realized he had been posing as the car’s owner in order to sell it to a third party.
Despite knowing the deal had been canceled, Smith continued to promise the car to the third party, even after committing the murders.
The Arrest and Court Sentencing
Smith’s arrest came exactly one year after the murders, on November 11, 2024. Prosecutors noted that Smith’s actions were driven by greed, as he continued to lie to the police in an attempt to acquire the car after taking two lives.
On Friday, Smith was sentenced to two life sentences plus 21 years for the murders and the burglary. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell remarked, “This was an act driven by greed; even after taking two lives, this defendant continued to lie to police to try to get the car.”
The case has shocked the community, and the double murder highlights the extreme lengths some individuals will go to over material desires. Smith’s greed and deception ultimately led to the tragic deaths of Mitchell and Ephrem, and he will now spend the rest of his life behind bars.
