An Indiana woman has been convicted of first-degree murder in Fayette County.
According to Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney Anthony Ciliberti Jr., Amanda Don Soultz, 32, of Elkhart, Ind., plead guilty to first-degree murder before Circuit Judge Paul M. Blake Jr. on Dec. 6.
Soultz’s plea agreement provides for her to be sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after she serves 15 years, according to a press release from Ciliberti.
She will be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2025 at 10 a.m.
The co-defendant, Andres M. Torres Jr., was convicted on Oct. 31 of murder in the first degree, kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy following a three-day jury trial. He faces sentencing on Jan. 30, 2025 at 2:15 p.m., Ciliberti noted.
According to the release, Torres and Soultz came to Fayette County from Indiana in late January 2023. Soultz had previously lived in the area and knew local resident Michelle Smith prior to arriving in the county. Shortly after arriving in Fayette County, Torres pawned a watch to Smith for $50. Sometime thereafter, Smith listed the watch for sale on Facebook, the release noted. When Torres learned of the Facebook post, he became angry that the watch was listed for sale. On Feb. 16, 2023, Torres and Soultz went to Smith’s home on Deepwater Mountain Road to retrieve the watch, which led to Smith being kidnapped, robbed and murdered, Ciliberti said.
In their statements to police, both Soultz and Torres claimed that they had dinner with and had been drinking with Smith the night of Feb. 16. However, Ciliberti’s release said that evidence from the crime scene did not support their claims that it was a friendly gathering. The statements to police further indicated that when Smith refused to return the watch to Torres, claiming that she no longer had it, he became enraged. Soultz and Torres then restrained Smith with handcuffs found in Smith’s bedroom, and Torres beat Smith with his fists and a pistol, according to the prosecutor.
Soultz and Torres then searched Smith’s residence for the watch. The watch was eventually located, and Torres became even more enraged and shot Smith in the head with a .45-caliber firearm and left her for dead, according to the release, which revealed that Torres admitted to police that he shot Smith because she “disrespected” him. Smith was found still alive about 12 hours later by her adult son, who went to the home to check on his mother since he had been unable to contact her during the day.
In her statement, Soultz admitted to police that she helped Torres, but she claimed he forced her to participate in the crimes and that she complied with Torres’ demands out of fear. Evidence regarding the interaction between Soultz and Torres subsequent to the shooting showed the two continued to work together to avoid capture and to leave the area together, according to Ciliberti. After their apprehension the duo continued their relationship, with jail calls revealing that the couple planned to get married. Recorded jail calls further revealed their plan was for Torres to take responsibility for the crime to allow Soultz to go free.
Smith, 41, died on March 31, 2023 from the gunshot wound to her head after medical efforts to save her life failed.
The crime was investigated by the West Virginia State Police, with assistance from the Oak Hill Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshal’s Service. Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer D. Crane and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Amy McLaughlin prosecuted the case.