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Friday, March 21, 2008 10:12 AM Man sentenced in Sharpsburg killing By Andy Britt | Times Staff Writer NASHVILLE -- A Nash County man was found guilty in the first-degree murder of a Sharpsburg resident. Nezar "Sam" Yarborough, 24, of Nash County, was sentenced during Superior Court Thursday to life without parole for the shooting death of Derek Thomas Smith, 26, who lived in the Sandy Cross area of Sharpsburg. Yarborough was also convicted of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree burglary and three counts of second-degree kidnapping. He was acquitted of the charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Kimberly Conner Smith, 19, of Nashville, the mother of two of Yarborough's children, pleaded guilty Thursday to accessory to commit a burglary and was sentenced to 13 months probation. Smith served as the driver of the getaway car, court records show. Prosecutors say that on April 17, 2006, Yarborough and Jerry O'Neil, 22, of Weaver Mobile Home Park, Sharpsburg, broke into a Sharpsburg trailer in an apparent robbery attempt. Yarborough's defense attorney Steve Fisher said his client shot Derek Smith, who was visiting the trailer at the time, when his shotgun accidentally discharged and shot the victim in the face. Derek Smith died instantly. O'Neil, Kimberly Smith and Robert Leon Lewis, 22, of Taylorwood Mobile Home Park, Sharpsburg, were charged as accomplices in the murder. O'Neil and Lewis each pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary earlier in the week. O'Neil was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Lewis received a seven-year sentence. Detectives say Derek Smith and his girlfriend, Dana Denton, 19, of Nashville, were visiting a friend when the shooting occurred. Authorities say Lewis told the other three there would be money at Canan Williams' home and led them to the residence. Yarborough admitted to shooting Smith during interrogation by sheriff's deputies, according to court documents. abritt@wilsontimes.com | 265-7819 |
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