Judge sentences 2 men in homicide

One of the men faced the death penalty if the case had gone to trial.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A Youngstown man and a Warren man will spend the next 10 to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to a 2005 homicide.

Teandre DeMarco, 31, of Warren and Michael Price, 30, of Youngstown each pleaded guilty to third-degree homicide Monday before Judge Dominick Motto of Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

The men admitted shooting 35-year-old Sean Smith in his West Lutton Street home Dec. 5, 2005. Smith died while being transported to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, but was able to identify his attackers before dying, police said.

DeMarco and Price contend they went to Smith’s house to trade a gun for marijuana and the deal turned violent. Witnesses who testified at earlier hearings say the men came in with guns drawn and Smith started wrestling Price for the weapon.

Assistant District Attorney Tom Minett said authorities think DeMarco fired the fatal shot. Smith was shot four times in the chest, back and buttocks. Price was shot in the foot during the struggle.

Three other people with DeMarco and Smith were not charged, but all were in the car with the men after the shooting. A police chase ensued from New Castle and into Ohio where the car crashed at the intersection of U.S. Route 422 and Liberty-Struthers Road.

Minett said during the plea hearing that his office would have sought the death penalty for DeMarco and life in prison for Price if the case had proceeded to trial.

Victim’s family

About a dozen of Smith’s relatives were on hand for the pleas and sentencings.

Kimberly Smith, Sean Smith’s aunt, told the judge that her nephew had eight children and his death has affected all of their lives.

“We miss him greatly and it will never be the same,” she said.

DeMarco turned and apologized to the family in court.

“I got kids of my own and I wouldn’t want anything like this to happen to me,” he said.

DeMarco’s attorney, Chief Public Defender Harry Falls, said DeMarco and Price did not intend to kill Smith when they arrived at the house.

Just prior to his arrest on homicide charges, DeMarco had accused Warren police of using excessive force when arresting him in March of 2005. An internal affairs investigation later cleared the officer of those charges.

Both men will serve their sentences in state prison.

cioffi@vindy.com