A shocking crime has come to light in the Bluegrass State, as Ernest Otto Smith, a 49-year-old convicted murderer from Toledo, Ohio, pleaded guilty to the 2005 murder of Cathy M. Barnett at Fort Knox Military Base in Kentucky.
The gruesome crime took place on January 7, 2005, when Smith, who had formerly lived and worked near Fort Knox, brutally murdered Barnett in a wooded area on the grounds of the military base. According to the plea agreement, Smith had robbed and shot James Dillingham in Toledo, Ohio, on January 3, 2005, and Barnett was present during the murder.
After fleeing Toledo, Smith and Barnett headed south to Kentucky, where Smith’s van broke down. The duo was dropped off near Fort Knox and walked into a wooded area, where Smith attempted to break Barnett’s neck and then beat her to death with a tree branch.
Smith left Barnett’s body in the woods and eventually traveled to Tennessee, where he was arrested in Nashville on January 21, 2005. In March 2006, Smith was convicted in Ohio of the Dillingham murder and was sentenced to 32 years of imprisonment.
It wasn’t until late 2010 that Smith spoke with his former parole officer, Dan Van Vorhis, who asked Smith about Barnett’s disappearance. Over the course of several recorded conversations, Smith explained the details of the murder and identified where Barnett’s remains would be found.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searched the area and found Barnett’s remains in the wooded area identified by Smith.
As a result of his guilty plea, Smith faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison and a potential $250,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for March 22, 2016, at 3:00pm in Louisville. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Weiser and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Defendant: Ernest Otto Smith
Crime: Murder
City and State: Fort Knox, Kentucky
Exact Date: January 7, 2005
Sentence or Outcome: Life in prison, potential $250,000 fine
Dollar Amounts: $250,000
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Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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