A Morrisville man was sentenced Tuesday, Jan. 17, to serve 23 ½ to 47 years in state prison for killing 39-year-old Jamie Beighley inside a Falls Township motel in July 2021.
Evan Marquis Smith, 39, was convicted in September during a three-day non-jury trial on charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, strangulation, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault, fleeing and eluding and driving without headlights to avoid detection.
Before handing down the sentence, Common Pleas Judge Raymond F. McHugh heard impact statements from the Beighley’s sister, brother, mother, and best friend, calling her a loving mother of five who was always there for family and friends who needed her. Beighley’s loved ones called for McHugh to sentence Smith to the maximum sentence allowed, describing him as a monster, manipulative and a “true danger to society and his kids.”
In addition to the state prison sentence, McHugh ordered Smith to have no contact with Beighley’s family.
Falls Township Police Officers were dispatched at 11:41 p.m. on July 1, 2021, to the New Falls Motel, arriving to find a woman, later identified as Beighley, on the floor of the motel room without a pulse. She was taken to the hospital and never regained consciousness. She died from her injuries three days later. Her cause of death was ruled to be strangulation.
During the waiver trial, Bucks County Deputy District Attorney Mary Kate Kohler detailed a history of domestic violence committed by Smith against Beighley. Kohler said it would have taken at least four minutes of deliberate and continued pressure and substantial force to kill Beighley.
“This was personal,” she said. “Jamie was leaving him after 18 years of torture and violence.”
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