TRUMBULL COUNTY Man sentenced to prison for killing wife

-The defendant entered guilty pleas to felony charges.
WARREN -- A 42-year-old man who admitted his involvement in the death of his wife was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court sentenced Timothy J. Smith of 2528 Kenwood Drive S.W. during a brief hearing Tuesday.
Smith entered guilty pleas to felony charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated burglary. The judge sentenced Smith to nine years on each charge and ordered the sentences be served consecutively.
"This means Mr. Smith will ... serve the full 18 years," said Chuck Morrow, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor.
Smith chose to plead moments before his jury trial on a murder charge was set to begin.
"I'm satisfied that the this was worked out, the victim's family was also satisfied," Morrow said.
According to Warren City police reports, Smith's wife, Lizette, was found Sept. 28. She was stabbed multiple times, police said.
Sister's account
The couple had been married a little more than two years and had been fighting earlier that day, according to Felicia Bullett, Lizette's sister. Bullett said she was at the house and was leaving with Lizette's 10-year-old daughter when Smith arrived at the home.
Bullett had said that she put the 10-year-old girl in her car. She said she saw Smith come out of the house and put clothes on top of his car. Smith went back in the house, came out a few minutes later and sped off, Bullett said.
Bullett went back inside the house and found her sister had been stabbed. Police said moments after leaving the house, Smith's car crashed into the Peerless-Winsmith Inc. building at 1401 W. Market St. He suffered minor injuries in the crash.
Smith, who had three children, worked at the Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation.
During Tuesday's hearing, Smith's 21-year-old daughter, the victim's ex-husband and a friend spoke, court officials said. All three asked that the maximum sentence be imposed.