Janjira Smith

Case overview

Janjira Jeffrey Smith poisoned her ex-boyfriend’s Jägermeister with insecticide, killing him and temporarily blinding his new girlfriend. She fled the United States for Thailand, was arrested in London, and was extradited to the United States after an extradition battle. She pleaded not guilty to murder in 2011 and later changed her plea to guilty. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Timeline

• October 2006 — Smith learned that Roger Lewis planned to marry his new girlfriend, Thanyarat Nina, after their breakup in September 2006.
• October 2006 — A bottle of Jägermeister was delivered to Nina before she and Lewis planned to go out for dinner; the bottle was spiked with the insecticide methomyl.
• October 2006 — Nina drank about half a shot and temporarily lost her vision and blacked out; Lewis drank a full shot and later was found dead.
• October 7, 2006 — Emergency crews were called after Nina was found disoriented and blind at the apartment; Lewis was found face-down between a couch and coffee table and pronounced dead at the scene.
• October 12, 2006 — Smith flew to Los Angeles.
• 2008 — Smith was arrested in London.
• June 2011 — Smith was extradited to the United States in June to begin her trial and was held in King County jail on $5 million bail.
• September 7, 2011 — A case-setting hearing was scheduled in King County Superior Court.
• August 30, 2011 — A scheduling hearing matter was discussed in court filings, including discovery and case complexity arguments.
• 2011 — Smith pleaded not guilty in 2011 to the murder in Redmond, Wash.
• May 2013 — Smith changed her plea to guilty to murder.
• June 27, 2013 — Court records showed Smith was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years.
• July 1, 2013 — Smith was sentenced to 20 years in King County Prison.

Background

In September 2006, Smith’s then-boyfriend, Roger Lewis, broke up with her after 18 months together. Smith learned that Lewis planned to marry his new girlfriend, Thanyarat Nina. Smith “did not receive this news well,” according to a detective’s writing in court documents. Smith was 56 at sentencing.

The offence

Smith arranged for a bottle of Jägermeister to be delivered to Nina. The bottle was spiked with the insecticide methomyl. Lewis drank a full shot, and Nina drank half of one. Nina lost her vision temporarily and blacked out. Later, a friend found Nina disoriented in Lewis’ apartment. Lewis was found face-down on the ground and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined the bottle of Jägermeister was laced with the insecticide methomyl. Methomyl was described as classified as a Restricted Use Pesticide due to high toxicity, and it was described as most toxic when ingested orally.

Nina was taken to Evergreen Hospital. Nina was diagnosed with having a stroke from lack of oxygen to the brain and suffered a stroke, with temporarily lost vision.

Smith was charged with murder in connection with Lewis’ death and with assault connected to Nina’s injuries.

Investigation and pre-trial events

Kirkland Police detectives interviewed Smith after the incident, and she told them she and Lewis had been living together for 18 months. When detectives later tried to find Smith again, they determined she had flown first to Los Angeles and then to Taipei, Taiwan, before going to Thailand.

Arrest and extradition

Smith was detained in London by United Kingdom Customs and Immigration on Dec. 4, after arriving on a flight from Geneva, Switzerland. The arrest was made based on cooperative agreements between Interpol and the U.S. Marshals Service sponsored Pacific Northwest Fugitive Apprehension Task Force (PNWFAT). King County Superior Court had issued an arrest warrant in November 2006 for the murder of Lewis on October 7, 2006.

A hearing regarding Smith’s detention was held Dec. 5 in the United Kingdom, and Smith was to face formal extradition proceedings there.

Smith was arrested in Great Britain in 2008 and fought extradition. She was returned to Seattle in June 2011 and was held in King County jail on $5 million bail in lieu of bail while proceedings continued.

Trial and plea

Smith pleaded not guilty in 2011 to the murder in Redmond, Wash. She changed her plea to guilty in May 2013.

During the pre-trial period, the court process involved extensive discovery and case complexity arguments. Smith had waived her right to a speedy trial that would normally have called for her to face her accusers by December. Her attorney, Gary Davis of the Seattle-based Associated Counsel for the Accused, argued that the matter had become nearly overwhelmingly complex and described the case as nearly overwhelmingly complex, including thousands of pages forthcoming to be delivered in banker boxes. He also argued the charges were largely circumstantial and that there were no eyewitnesses, and he described the murder investigation as taking five years to complete and extending into Oregon, California, and ultimately Thailand. Davis also described that the case involved non-law-enforcement witnesses who might speak only Thai and that a second attorney would be needed to keep the case moving and allow better preparation for trial and any post-conviction motions.

Sentencing

Smith pleaded guilty in May 2013 to second degree murder and second degree assault. The sentence range for the charges was described as between 12 to 20 years, and the sentences on both charges were described as ranging from 12 to 20 years. Court records showed Smith was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years on June 27, and on July 1, 2013 she was sentenced to 20 years in King County Prison.

Prosecutors were described as recommending 244 months when Smith was sentenced on June 28 at 1 p.m. before Judge Tim Bradshaw in the King County Courthouse, courtroom W-965.

Outcome

Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison on July 1, 2013.

Other details

Smith was described as a naturalized U.S. citizen and originally from Thailand. She flew to Los Angeles in October 2006 to locate an attorney should she be arrested. She later traveled to Thailand with tickets purchased for her by her daughter.

A friend found Nina disoriented in the apartment after Lewis was poisoned. Nina recovered, and prosecutors brought a separate assault charge for her injuries.

People involved

• Janjira Jeffrey Smith — defendant; then-boyfriend/partner of Roger Lewis; convicted in relation to poisoning Lewis and assaulting Nina.
• Roger Lewis — ex-boyfriend of Smith; died after drinking methomyl-laced Jägermeister.
• Thanyarat Nina / Thanyarat Sengphrachanh / Thanyarat O. Sengpharaghanh — Nina; girlfriend/fiancée of Lewis; suffered a stroke and temporarily lost her vision after drinking methomyl-laced Jägermeister.
• Gary Davis — attorney for Smith.
• Judge Tim Bradshaw — presiding judge at sentencing hearing described as scheduled June 28.
• U.S. Marshal Joe Hawe — referenced in relation to efforts to apprehend Smith and bring her back to Washington.
• Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Lanier — referenced regarding uncertainty about travel to England and potential attempt to flee Thailand.
• Dan Donohoe — spokesperson for the King County Prosecutor’s Office mentioned in connection with a scheduled case-setting hearing.
• Kirkland Police Department (KPD) detectives — conducted investigation and interviewed Smith.
• U.S. Marshals Service — involved in arrest coordination and extradition process.
• Interpol — involved in cooperative agreements referenced in the London arrest.
• Pacific Northwest Fugitive Apprehension Task Force (PNWFAT) — involved in the arrest operation.