GILMER, Texas (KLTV) — Craig Allen Smith, 41, of Gilmer, has pleaded guilty to the 2024 murder of his wife, Vennessa Smith, and accepted a 50-year prison sentence.
Smith was arrested in February 2024 following a call about a suspicious person, which led Gilmer police to find Vennessa Smith dead at their Walnut Street home. Authorities say Craig Smith killed his wife using a splitting maul axe, nearly an hour before the call was made.
On Wednesday, Smith appeared before Judge Dean Fowler in Upshur County and admitted to the murder after initially denying involvement. The release detailing the case states that Smith had first lied about his identity and attempted to cover up the crime. When asked directly if he had killed his wife, Smith initially responded with a “no,” but his guilty plea on Wednesday marked the first time he admitted to the crime.
Smith will serve 50 years in prison for the murder of his wife.