Hunter given life without parole in murder case

Enterprise native Malcolm Hunter was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole during a sentencing hearing before Circuit Judge Jeff Kelley on Wednesday, July 25.

Hunter was charged with murder on Feb. 2, 2017, following the disappearance of Enterprise woman Ayanna Nneka Smith. She was last seen on Jan. 21, 2017. She was 26 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Ayanna Smith's body has not been located to this day. At the time of Hunter's arrest, Twelfth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tom Anderson said a person could be charged with murder even with the absence of a body "if a jury can reasonably infer, based on the evidence, actual or circumstantial, that it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the missing person is in fact dead."

Hunter, who was represented by attorneys David White and Josh Pipkin, was found guilty of murder by a 14-member jury of seven men and seven women in a first-time case in recent history for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit on May 16.

During the trial, the jury heard testimony from Ayanna Smith's mother Patricia Smith, father Johnny Smith, brother Kawon Reed, Ayanna Smith's friends Brittany Adair and more.

DNA evidence was also presented to the jury, as well as testimony from other experts and witnesses related to the case.

Assistant District Attorney Jon Folmar said during the July 25 sentencing hearing that the jury found Hunter guilty after only 45 minutes of deliberation.

During the sentencing hearing, Kelley stated Hunter was uncooperative while a probation officer attempted to retrieve personal information about Hunter for a presentencing report.

Hunter's attorney's filed a request for a second attempt for a presentencing interview, but the request was denied.

Marion B. Brunson Jr., who attempted to interview Hunter for the presentencing report, stated that Hunter told him he was not participating in the interview process.

Brunson also said Hunter refused to sign certain documents in front of a witness.

Pipkin asked Brunson if this report states that Hunter has a mental disability. Brunson stated that he had no first-hand knowledge of this; this information, as well as information about education and other personal information, came from a previous presentencing report on file.

Kelley also stated during the presentencing hearing that the state requested Hunter be sentenced under the Habitual Felony Offender Act. He said the state cited four previous felony convictions, including two convictions of first-degree assault, promoting prison contraband, and unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle.

Folmar said during the hearing that this act offers two sentencing options: life or life without the possibility of parole.

Ayanna Smith's family and friends read statements and provided written statements to the court to be used in consideration during sentencing.

"Since that day, our lives have been an immense roller coaster," Reed, Ayanna Smith's brother, said. "Your actions have left an empty void in our lives."

Reed called for the maximum sentence against Hunter.

Ayanna Smith's father, Johnny Smith, stated that the last time he spoke with his daughter was right before her disappearance.

In Feb. 2017, a candlelight vigil was held for Ayanna Smith. He said the candles represented showing Ayanna a way to find her way home again. The balloons that were released during the vigil, he said, were a way to mark the area her family and friends were in to help her find her way back.

He then said Ayanna Smith could not see anything "because Malcolm Hunter made sure she couldn't."

He said he hoped the judicial system does what it can to "keep Malcolm out of the streets" and protect other families.

Following his statement, Ayanna Smith's mother, Patricia Smith, stated that the murder and disappearance of her daughter "left a hole" in her heart.

"It left a hole in my heart that will never be fixed," she said in her statement. "The damage he caused by this will never be fixed."

"No one deserved this."

She also called for the judicial system to "enforce" the consequences for the crime committed.

Following Hunter's life-without-parole sentence, Folmar stated, "Justice was done today."