Virginia Tech player, 18, beat a man he met on Tinder to death after discovering he was not a woman

May 2024 · 4 minute read
Jerry Paul Smith (pictured) was found beaten to death in his own apartment on June 1

Jerry Paul Smith (pictured) was found beaten to death in his own apartment on June 1 

A Virginia Tech linebacker allegedly stomped his Tinder date to death after he discovered the woman named 'Angie' he's had oral sex with was actually a man. 

Ismemen David Etute, 18, was charged in the death of Blacksburg restaurant manager Jerry Paul Smith after allegedly punching and stomping the 40-year-old multiple times on May 31. 

Etute matched with Smith on Tinder but Smith's profile indicated he was a woman named 'Angie,' Etute's attorney James Turk told DailyMail.com. 

The two first met April 10 for oral sex, during which Etute was still under the impression Smith was a woman, Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt told the Montgomery County General District Court during a bond hearing on Wednesday morning.  

Turk told DailyMail.com that Smith had multiple social media accounts where he posed as a woman named 'Angie.'

It appears that Smith lived as a man during his day to day life, including at work, and his family referred to him with male pronouns.

Etute did not discover Smith was a man until they met again on May 31 for a second sexual encounter at Smith's apartment. 

Ismemen David Etute, 18, (pictured) was charged in the death of Jerry Smith after allegedly punching and stomping after he discovering he was actually a man 18-year-old Ismemen David Etute (pictured) is currently on suspension from Virginia Tech and its football team

Ismemen David Etute, 18, (pictured) was charged in the death of Jerry Smith after allegedly punching and stomping after he discovering he was actually a man

Etute was released on $75,000 bond on Wednesday and will remain under house arrest and electronic monitoring

Etute was released on $75,000 bond on Wednesday and will remain under house arrest and electronic monitoring

Following the revelation, Etute punched Smith in the face five times before he fell to the ground. He punched him at least five more times and stomped on him, Commonwealth Attorneys told the court. 

Etute also told police that Smith did not fight back, WSLS.com reported. 

'Nobody deserves to die, but I don't mind saying, don't pretend you are something that you are not,' Etute's attorney, James Turk, told reporters outside of court on Wednesday. 'Don't target or lure anyone under that perception. That's just wrong.' 

The 18-year-old linebacker heard 'bubbling and gurgling' coming from Smith as he left the apartment, but didn't call the police, the Commonwealth Attorney added. 

Smith's body was discovered in his apartment the following day, Blacksburg Police said in a release

An autopsy report revealed Smith died from blunt force trauma to the head, the Richmond-Times Dispatch reported.

Surveillance footage from Smith's apartment captured Etute visiting him on May 31 - the night Smith was brutally beaten to death Surveillance footage from Smith's apartment captured Etute visiting him on May 31 - the night Smith was brutally beaten to death

Surveillance footage from Smith's apartment captured Etute visiting him on May 31 - the night Smith was brutally beaten to death

Smith's body was found at his apartment on Main Street in Blacksburg

The murder occurred at Smith's apartment on Main Street in Blacksburg 


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All the bones in Smith's face were broken and his teeth were missing, the report said.  

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Etute was arrested on June 2 and charged with second-degree murder.

He was released on $75,000 bond on Wednesday and is to remain under house arrest and electronic monitoring. 

Smith’s family attended the packed hearing as well as more than a dozen of Etute's teammates, the Richmond-Times Dispatch reported.  

When laying out the case for granting bond, Etute's attorney had the 18-year-old and his mother take the stand.

The Virginia Tech linebacker (pictured) allegedly stomped a man to death during a Tinder date after he discovered his date had been posing as a woman named 'Angie'

The Virginia Tech linebacker (pictured) allegedly stomped a man to death during a Tinder date after he discovered his date had been posing as a woman named 'Angie'

Etute's mother (pictured left) told the court her son is not a flight risk and had never been in any trouble before

Etute's mother (pictured left) told the court her son is not a flight risk and had never been in any trouble before

Etute told court he has never been in trouble with the law and that he was a model student who graduated high school early to start at Virginia Tech in January

Etute told court he has never been in trouble with the law and that he was a model student who graduated high school early to start at Virginia Tech in January

Etute’s mother spoke to her son's character, telling the court he is not a flight risk and had never been in any trouble, WDBJ7.com reported. 

She also told the court her son would help take care of his younger sister with special needs.

Etute told court he has never been in trouble with the law and that he was a model student who graduated high school early to start at Virginia Tech in January, WDBJ7.com reported.  

Etute is currently on suspension from Virginia Tech and its football team. 

In an obituary, Smith's family remembered restaurant manager whose nephews nicknamed 'Gigi' as a 'polite young man throughout his life'

His family asked that donations be sent in Jerry's honor to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in lieu of flowers. 

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