Ex-Virginia Tech Football Player Acquitted of Murder After Beating Man Who Catfished Him on Tinder

Isimemen Etute, a former Virginia Tech football player accused of fatally beating a man who he claims he thought was a woman from Tinder, has been found not guilty of a charge of second-degree murder.

After three hours of jury deliberations Friday, the 19-year-old was acquitted around 6:30 p.m. on charges related to the death of 40-year-old Jerry Smith in 2021, per CBS. Etute’s family released a statement after the verdict, sharing that they “are relieved and thankful that God has helped guide us through this extremely hard and punishing journey.”

“It will take time to decompress and feel relief from this gut-wrenching, frightening experience in life,” they shared with WDBJ. “It has made us stronger and strengthened our faith. We will continue to include the Smith family in our prayers. Isi is extremely grateful for the jury’s hard work, deliberation, and verdict. Isi is now focused on picking up where he left off in his pursuit of a college degree and love for the game of football.”

Back in June of 2021, Etute’s attorney Jimmy Turk said in court that his client met with Smith in April of that year for oral sex, believing him to be a woman named Angie”whom he met on Tinder. Etute allegedly didn’t realize Smith was a man until they met on May 31, when he punched Smith five times in the head. Smith’s body was discovered in his apartment on June 1, when a medical examiner ruled his death to be the result of blunt force to the head, given his fractured skull and missing teeth. Etute was suspended from the football team following the charge.

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