Left: Ash Smith (GoFundMe). Right: Wyatt Storm Belcher (Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office).
An Oregon man who fatally shot a mother of five children at a drum circle event in 2022 has been convicted by a jury after one hour of deliberations.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release that Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years by a judge on Monday. Belcher was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury on Thursday following an hour of deliberation, as reported by The Oregonian.
Belcher was found guilty of fatally shooting Ash Smith, a 31-year-old mother who was attending a drum circle event in Portland on May 8, 2022.
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According to court documents from local CBS affiliate KOIN, witnesses at the drum circle event heard a loud noise after the crowd started to disperse. Subsequently, a woman identified as Smith was seen falling to the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound to the back of her neck. Onlookers remained to assist Smith in her time of need.
Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin, as quoted in a press release by McClatchy News, expressed, “While [Smith] didn’t deserve Wyatt Belcher’s senseless attack, she did receive the kindness and aid from those present during her final moments. Despite being deeply impacted by the events they saw, three individuals had the courage to testify during the trial.”
Portland police soon located Belcher after several witnesses gave them a description of the gunman, who still had his gun on him. The DA’s office said in its press release that Belcher “racked the slide on the gun and asked if [Smith] was dead then asked the witness if he wanted to be shot as well.”
The shooting appeared to be completely random. Police said Belcher and Smith had no known relationship.
According to reporting by KOIN, Smith had been struggling with homelessness at the time of her death. A witness who spoke to the outlet soon after the incident said that she saw Smith “going around asking people for $6” in the moments leading up to her death, adding, “she didn’t have anything to take.”
Family said on a GoFundMe page to raise money for Smith’s funeral that she was “given a difficult hand in life,” but “was a good hearted person.”
Belcher, whose trial was delayed several times and was declared unfit for trial at one point, was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and schizoaffective disorder, according to court documents obtained by KOIN. He was later deemed fit to stand trial.
