Independence man sentenced to 22 years in prison for wife’s fatal shooting
An Independence man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for fatally shooting his wife last summer in their home.
Ryan D. Smith, 43, was sentenced Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court in the death of his wife, Diana M. Smith, the prosecutor’s office announced. He pleaded guilty in August to charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
According to court records, Independence police were called to the shooting in the 3600 block of Greenwich Lane on July 26, 2020. Arriving officers stopped a black Jeep Wrangler that was leaving the address after another man pointed toward the vehicle and yelled, “That man shot my mom,” court records said.
Officers pulled the Jeep over and took Smith into custody. When police first spoke with Smith, he allegedly told them at the time that his wife had been shot by a stranger and needed immediate medical attention, an investigator wrote in charging documents.
Officers entered the home and found Diana Smith dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the head. She was discovered on a couch in the living room.
Family members would later tell police that the victim was unhappy with Smith. They accused him of being a severe alcoholic and said she had wanted to divorce him if he did not quit drinking, according to court records.
Before the killing, Smith was convicted in 2007 of a domestic assault charge involving his wife, according to court records. He was sentenced to probation for unlawful weapon use.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 5:30 PM.
