A man from California, who previously reported that he found his wife in an unresponsive state, is now facing murder charges. Authorities believe he used fentanyl to poison her food, as per the Elk Grove Police Department.
In the morning of January 12, Glennis Smith dialed 911, reporting that his wife, Jennifer Smith-Floyd, 49, had lost consciousness and was not breathing, according to a statement from the police department released on Thursday.
Despite having been married for five years, the couple had been living separately for several months before the incident. Emergency services responded to Smith’s main residence, but they were unable to save Smith-Floyd.
As the investigation progressed, police uncovered evidence of fentanyl in Smith-Floyd’s system. They suspect Smith of intentionally adding the fentanyl to Smith-Floyd’s food twice without her knowledge, with the lethal dose being administered on January 12.
The police department also mentioned a subsequent incident where the couple’s travel trailer, stored at a local self-storage facility, was set on fire months after Smith-Floyd’s death. Smith is suspected of starting the fire.
After obtaining an arrest warrant, detectives located and arrested Smith in Elk Grove. He now faces charges of murder, arson, and insurance fraud, and is currently being held without bail.
CBS News reported that court records indicate Smith has previously served prison time for spousal rape during a previous marriage. His current legal representation, if any, remains unclear.
In a statement to ABC 10, Smith-Floyd’s family said, “She didn’t deserve this. As a family, we are devastated by her loss. We miss her and our lives are forever changed.”
The family expressed gratitude for the support they have received and urged anyone with information about the investigation to contact the Elk Grove Police Department Investigations Bureau at (916) 478-8060.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
