The Tri-Cities psychological health and wellness therapist charged of eliminating his partner showed up in court Tuesday, a day after declining to find out of his prison cell.
Michael T. Smith begged innocent to a fee of second-degree murder.
Smith, a qualified psychological health and wellness therapist, was scheduled right into the prison Friday mid-day and also is being hung on $1 million bond after being billed with eliminating his long time partner Jenna L. Olafson, 38.
Olafson was likewise a therapist. She was kept in mind by good friends and also people as kind and also compassionate.
Smith declined to find out of his cell or react to guards on Monday when he was readied to make a preliminary court look.
On Tuesday, Smith showed up in court practically from the prison, not talking other than to address Court Commissioner Megan Whitmire’s inquiries.
Smith asked for a public protector, informing the court he possesses a firm yet is not able to do his therapy job if he was to be launched from prison.
Private investigators claim he eliminated Olafson on July 9 at your home they showed her mommy in the El Rancho Reata area south of Richland.
After purportedly suffocating her, Smith attempted to utilize a blade to eliminate himself. When that really did not function, he purportedly ingested some tablets. Olafson’s mommy and also a buddy located Olafson’s body hrs in the future the back patio area of the residence.
Smith was still at your home and also Tri-City Regional SWAT group participants obtained him to find outside. He was required to a regional medical facility where he was dealt with for virtually a week. Authorities and also district attorneys have actually not claimed just how severely he was harmed or what he was dealt with for.
Smith and also Olafson had actually been with each other for around 7 years. They each began their exclusive method within the previous year after obtaining their licenses from Washington state.
Deputies at Smith’s bedside after he was required to the medical facility claimed he confessed to suffocating Olafson and also defined the fierce fight, according to court papers.
