Details of Fox executive’s slaying revealed in transcripts
May 12, 2015, 11:12 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The son of a slain 20th Century Fox executive begged the man accused of killing his father not to hurt the executive months before his death, according to grand jury transcripts.
Documents recently made public reveal Evan Smith testified that he pleaded with John Creech in December 2010 not to hurt his father, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday (http://lat.ms/1EAq05Z ).
Creech had recently learned that his wife was having an affair with Evan’s father, Gavin Smith, after they met in drug rehab two years earlier.
Creech, a convicted drug dealer, was indicted last month on a capital murder charge in the killing of Smith, whose remains were found in a shallow grave in the desert last fall.
Creech, 42, has pleaded not guilty. He is serving an eight-year prison sentence for selling or delivering drugs.
Creech’s lawyer has said his client defended himself when attacked by Smith and could have caused a fatal injury.
Smith, 57, vanished in May 2012 after leaving a friend’s home in Ventura County. His Mercedes-Benz was found 10 months later in a Simi Valley storage facility linked to Creech. Smith’s blood and body tissue were found inside.
Smith, a former UCLA basketball player and father of three, had worked for Fox’s movie distribution department and was branch manager for several theaters.
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