Nigerian allegedly murders ‘lover’ after discovering fake identity in US

An 18-year-old Nigerian-American, Ismemen David Etute, has been charged with murder after he beat to death a man he met in Tinder, United States.

The Nigerian fatally assaulted a 40-year-old Jerry Smith in April after he realised the victim was not a woman.

Etute, who was arraigned on Friday, told prosecutors that he had befriended Smith on a dating site and invited him over to his Blacksburg apartment for oral sex after matching up with someone named “Angie” on Tinder.

According to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Jason Morgan, the defendant had returned to the apartment on May 31 for another meet-up at which point he discovered the person he had matched up with was a male.

Etute, a Virginia Tech linebacker, told investigators he punched Smith five times in the face and “stomped” on him but didn’t call police despite hearing “bubbling and gurgling” from the victim as he left the apartment.

“Cops found the badly beaten man’s body one day later, with an autopsy revealing that Smith, a restaurant worker, died from blunt force trauma to the head as all the bones in his face were broken while his teeth were also missing,” the police said.

Etute, who is charged with second-degree murder, was arrested on June 2.

His attorney, Jimmy Turk, told a judge the case was “more than someone just showing up to an apartment and punching someone.”

“Nobody deserves to die, but I don’t mind saying, don’t pretend you are something that you are not,” Turk told reporters outside the courtroom.

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“Don’t target or lure anyone under that perception. That’s just wrong.”

At the hearing, Etute regretted his actions and said:

“Real hard. I’m trying to stay strong for the people that support me. I feel like I have let a lot of people down. I’m truly sorry for my actions.”

Etute was released on $75,000 secured bond under conditions of house arrest and electronic monitoring.

He will stay with his parents in Virginia Beach and is due back in court on September 23.

Isaac Dachen

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