Home Invasion

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Delmer Smith to girlfriend: I didn't kill Briles (with audio)

On the day Manatee authorities charged Delmer Smith III with murder in the death of Kathleen Briles, he called his new girlfriend from jail and lied to her about his arrest.

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Archive by category ''Home Invasion

HOME INVASION

Trial date set for Smith in home invasion case

SARASOTA — She came to see Delmer Smith III in court Wednesday. His DNA, Sarasota detectives say, was found in her home last year during the processing of the scene after a brutal home invasion attack.
HOME INVASION

Home invasion suspect's possible ties to Manatee to be reviewed

MANATEE — Sarasota officials believe four of their cases against accused home invasion and rape suspect Delmer Smith III are solid because of his DNA found at crime scenes. Now prosecutors and law enforcement will be meeting on whether cases can be made in other similar attacks Smith may have...
HOME INVASION

Rape victim: Backlog putting lives at risk

Kellie Greene can identify with any victims of Delmer Smith III, because their paths might never have crossed with the ex-convict if his DNA had been entered into a national database immediately after federal prison officials collected it in March 2008.
HOME INVASION

DNA backlog revelation sparks inquiries

MANATEE — The revelation that federal authorities had the DNA of home invasion and rape suspect Delmer Smith III, but hadn’t logged it in FBI databases drew calls for action Wednesday from local politicians and law enforcement.