TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Killer Takes Plea Deal

ADVERTISEMENT

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 1, 2008

Updated: 02/01/2008 12:22 am

TAMPA - Had Michael Edmund Smith, 30, gone to trial on a charge of first-degree murder, he might have been sentenced to life for the stabbing death of 32-year-old James Peak.

In a deal with prosecutors, the Apollo Beach man pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Murder is not new to Peak's family. Two of his siblings also met violent deaths.

Prosecutors said Smith's girlfriend, Crystal Stith, was shot to death in 2002. Smith remained close to her family because they had two children together.

Peak is Stith's brother.

On May 29, Peak told Smith that he tried to make a romantic move on Smith's new girlfriend. The next day, Smith went to Peak's Gibsonton mobile home angrily searching for more information. He took his two children with him.

Peak was not home, but Peak's sister-in-law was there babysitting.

Smith asked her whether Peak had a relationship with his girlfriend. She said she did not know. He then told her that he was going to stab Peak when he got home. He forbade her from warning her brother-in-law.

When Peak walked through the door, Smith stabbed him with a steak knife, sheriff's officials said. Peak ran, but Smith gave chase. Smith stabbed him two more times.

Peak died.

Six children were in the mobile home at the time but none witnessed the stabbing.

In court Thursday, prosecutors said Smith was cooperative with sheriff's deputies and told them he had killed Peak.

After his 40-year sentence, Smith must serve five years on probation and complete an anger management class.

Peak was the third in his family to be slain.

In 1994, William David Walker, 27, Joseph Peak, 17, and a 13-year-old girl were hanging out on a Hillsborough County beach in the late-night hours. The three split from a group to go for a walk.

Walker later pleaded guilty to murder and rape charges, admitting that he stabbed to death Joseph Peak and raped the girl. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

In 2002, Smith's girlfriend, the Peaks' sister, was shot to death in a misunderstanding.

About 5:20 a.m. March 1, 2002, Stith and her cousin hopped into a convertible Mustang at their Gibsonton mobile home park. The two girls stopped by another trailer to see whether a third friend needed a ride to work. They started to leave when they didn't see any lights on.

Jason Pospeschil, their friend's brother, looked out his window and thought someone was stealing carpentry tools from his truck. He fired two shots from a high-powered rifle as the Mustang drove away.

Stith, 19, was shot in the head. Pospeschil is serving a 15 year prison sentence for manslaughter.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT