Man sentenced for fatally shooting couple in front of grandson over car deal gone wrong

PEORIA, Ariz. (TCN) -- A 21-year-old man was recently sentenced for breaking into a couple’s home and killing them over a car deal gone wrong.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced July 11 that Alexander Smith received two consecutive natural life sentences and an additional 21 years. He pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree burglary.

According to prosecutors, in November 2023, Smith "forced his way into" Walter Mitchell and Susie Ephrem’s home and fatally shot them. Ephrem called 911 but succumbed to her injuries at the hospital, while Mitchell died at the scene. Authorities said their 8-year-old grandson was at the residence but was unharmed.

Smith reportedly went back to the home the following day and told detectives that "he was there to pick up a Ford Shelby GT500" and "claimed he worked for a car collector who purchased the car from Walter."

Peoria Police discovered messages between Smith and Mitchell regarding the sale of the vehicle. The day before the shooting, Mitchell reportedly canceled the car deal because the wire transfer didn’t go through. The victim traded the car at a dealership, and he and Ephrem were shot the next day.

Smith went to the Peoria Police Station more than two weeks later to ask about getting the vehicle. Authorities noted that his statement was inconsistent with what he told detectives at the crime scene.

According to the attorney’s office, investigators obtained Smith’s phone records showing that when he was attempting to purchase the Ford Shelby GT500, he was also labeling himself as the vehicle’s owner so he could trade it with another person. After the deal was called off, he allegedly told the other individual that he was able to trade it the following day.

Authorities also reportedly discovered through GPS data that Smith was near the victims’ residence around the time of the shooting, and his fingerprints were located on the door handle of their house.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell called it "an act driven by greed," adding, "Even after taking two lives, this defendant continued to lie to police to try to get the car."

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