Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? On Valentine's Day, it took jurors only 14 minutes to find 61-year-old Donald Smith guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle in 2013. Rao said she went to the crime scene, Because the nature of the case, it was a child that was abducted. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. When Cherishs body was brought to the Medical Examiners Office, Rao says the conducted a sexual assault kit, where a lot of evidence was collected. 2023 Cox Media Group. There was just one problem with that though. Rao could not determine what exactly was used, but she determined the bruise pattern was wide, and generally consistent with an article of clothing, like a t-shirt. Seeing a skipping and smiling Cherish with an older man would have looked like aregular grandfather andgranddaughter. In court videos seen by news.com.au, Rao was testifying for the Medical Examiner's office and provided disturbing details over the little girl's death. It was a twenty minute or so walk away. "Why in the world would he take my little girl?" Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices! @ActionNewsJax, Next photos of Cherish's neck are shown. ", by Chilling Crimes He said he dressed as a maintenance worker and placed microphones in vents at the Duval County jail. In secret jailhouse videos, Donald Smith blames 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle for her murder, schemes with his mother to fake a mental illness and gloats about his rank among the world's most. She is heard telling a dispatcher, "I feel like a fool," and saying she couldn't remember what Smith was wearing or what his license plate was, Bourne tweeted. It was June 21, 2013, when Cherish and her mother - Rayne Perrywinkle - were approached at the Dollar General store on Edgewood Avenue West in Jacksonville by Smith. In opening statements, State AttorneyMelissa Nelson told jurors that Smith made comments about a group of girls in the jail. 2018. A full profile could not be performed from the vaginal swab, however Smith was not excluded by the results, and Lee testified that- in all- there was still an almost non-existent chance it was anyone other than Smith. The stronger the force applied, the larger the petechiae in the eye are. @ActionNewsJax, #DonaldSmith has not turned around to look Cherish's autopsy photos, he is not looking at photos of himself either. Rayne went into Walmart with the three girls and began shopping. The CCTV footage documents the last time the child was seen alive. Verdict possible tomorrow in Donald Smith trial. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. 1. In all likelihood Cherish would not have been concernedgettinginto Donald's van outside Walmart that night as she had already been in the van with her sisters and mother. Cherish went with him. Its still unclear whether she ever existed. Photo / AP. The June 2013 murder of Cherish Perrywinkle drew huge amounts of news coverage and public attention in Jacksonville, with a jury in 2018 finding Donald James Smith guilty and a judge sending him to Death Row. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. @ActionNewsJax, Dollar Store purchases were also found in a trash can, Carter collected as evidence. Share currently playing on Facebook (Opens a new window), Share currently playing on Twitter (Opens a new window), Jacksonvilles Morning News with Rich Jones. Defense attorney holds up picture of Cherish Perrywinkle, reminds that this trial will be "emotional, gut-wrenching" @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/0rXEVvyDG6, Chris Parenteau (@WJXTChris) February 9, 2018. #DonaldSmith has not turned around to look Cherish's autopsy photos, he is not looking at photos of himself either. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! @ActionNewsJax, June 23, 2015 is when the recording equipment was placed in the Duval County jail. They all replied: Yeshttps://t.co/KORxv8xtHp pic.twitter.com/N7dzz8AmL1. The injuries that poor kid suffered was absolutely horrific and as you said, don't go googling details of . Smith can be heard in the recording saying they're about 12 or13 years old. Wherever Cherish was, it involved water. Donald had gagged her so severely that her gumshad bled, he raped and sodomised her. Here we have two people who are in a struggle. . But the most extensive injuries were to her genitalia which was torn, swollen, clearly abused, and distorted. We all get those warning signsand sometimes we act on them and sometimes we ignore them. He wassentenced to death. The convicted murderer offered to buy Rayne a dress along with a $150 gift card. Don was wearing the same clothes as the day before-a black t-shirt and jeans and the lower half of his body was soaking wet. It's all part of the second day of the trial of Donald Smith, the man who's accused of taking the girl from her family at a Northside Walmart, raping her, and leaving her dead in brackish water near a church. He also had an unhealthy obsession with Cherish. Dr. Valerie Rao was. @ActionNewsJax, Graphic photographs of the autopsy will be shown to the jury. She wanted to buy Cherish a little white dress with red hearts on it . Cherish sustained a hemorrhage to her head, indicative of blunt force trauma, but not enough to end her young life. He had been released from prison 21 days before Cherish's murder and is now facing the death penalty. The jury found him guilty on all charges. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday in an appeal by Smith, whose attorney contends, in part, that the trial should have been . The cashier later confirmed he saw themtalking in the car park for around 15-20 minutes. Smith drove Perrywinkle, her daughter, Cherish, and her two other little girls to the Walmart off ofLem Turner Road, claiming that his wife would meet them there and help them shop for clothes. She said that she did not want to appear too overprotective. What she sustained was tremendous force on her neck, such that she basically, she could not breathe. Around the same time, officers received a tip that a suspicious van was seen aroundBroward Road. In a desperate call to police, the girl's mother revealed how she fears the worst has happened to her daughter. Smith told Rayne. I am listening to testimony while @BethANJax will be live at noon with updates on #DonaldSmith testimony today. Despite working hundreds of cases, Rao became emotional during her testimony, "I'm sorry I need to take a break," Rao said. It's hard for everyone in the courtroom to hear about the crimes done against Cherish Perrywinkle. You may be offline. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The mother said Smith noticed her struggling to pay for their items and that he lured them to a nearby Walmart under the false guise of being generous. Meanwhile, the man accused of the brutal murder of the girl "decided to turn his back when autopsy pictures were shown", according to sources in court. "I'm sorry I need to take a break" Says Rao. The state rested after playing the recording. The surveillance video shows Smith walking alongside the little girl. @ActionNewsJax, The DNA was a 1 in 35 quintillion match. He cannot be filmed or identified. Defense is looking for a mistrial because Rao asked for a break. At around 11 p.m., Smiths supposed wife was nowhere to be found. The man, later identified as Smith, first offered to buy the moma dress. Action News Jax facebook feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax twitter feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax youtube feed(Opens a new window), Six things we learned after two days of the Cherish Perrywinkletrial, She had a lot for a white girl,' Smith tells inmate in jailhouse recording. #DonaldSmith looking straight or down, emotionless, as the recorded conversation plays where he says "I'd like to run in to her at Walmart" when talking about 12-year-old girls that walked through the Jail #CherishPerrywinkle pic.twitter.com/Itlhe9RIud. Jurors heard Rayne Perrywinkle's frantic 911 call,CBS affiliate WJAX'sJenna Bournereported via Twitter. This case is the type of case that every parent dreadsso how did it happen? For other inquiries, Contact Us. The court documents stated that the single mother agreed to both. On Monday, State Attorney Melissa Nelson described the horrible manner in which 8-year-old. Medical Examiner and forensic pathologist Valerie Rao took the witness stand in Cherish's murder trial on Tuesday and talked clinically about the extensive list of injuries she sustained. She suffered swelling of her brain as a result of lack of oxygen to her brain, and as a result of which, she died, Rao testified. It was left there for a week. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Cherish had been strangled with such force that her eyeballs bled-the blood vessels burst in her throat, face and eyes. But it wasn't until closing time that his true and sinister intentions were revealed. Security video played in. Donald had gagged her so severely that her gumshad bled, he raped and sodomised her. The medical examiner asked for a short break while giving evidence after the disturbing and graphic images shown at the Florida court left her visibly traumatised. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. There was a hickey on herright breastand traumatic injuries to her genitalia. On cross-examination, the defense confirmed there was no foreign DNA under Cherishs finger nails. It's clear that it's difficult for #CherishPerrywinkle's mother Rayne Perrywinkle to listen to this 911 call. Judge says jury will be sent home for the day, while all parties finalize jury instructions. @ActionNewsJax, #DonaldSmith has looked at all evidence presented in this case, but his back is turned to the screen as Cherish's autopsy photos are shown. This week kicked off the trial for the Florida man accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering Perrywinkle. The judge asked each juror "Is this your true and correct verdict?" The cashier later confirmed he saw themtalking in the car park for around 15-20 minutes. She suffered swelling of her brain as a result of lack of oxygen to her brain, and as a result of which, she died, Rao testified. Hours later, at 11.18pm that evening, the girl's mother Rayne called 911 desperately looking for the child, whom she says was last seen in the company of Smith. Tremendous force on her neck, such that she basically she could not breathe, she suffered swelling to her brain, as result of lack of oxygen to her brain," she died. @ActionNewsJax, Donald Smith is wearing a yellow shirt and tie today. Subscribe to 104.5 WOKV newsletter(Opens a new window), 104.5 WOKV facebook feed(Opens a new window), 104.5 WOKV twitter feed(Opens a new window), 104.5 WOKV instagram feed(Opens a new window). This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Public Domain Cherish Perrywinkle was murdered by a convicted pedophile who was released from prison just weeks before. There was a hickey on herright breast. Donald Smith asked his attorney if he was allowed to turn around for a photo after court ended for the day. @ActionNewsJax, Inmate asks if "Cherish had a butt on her." Cherish was also raped prior to her death, and Rao says injuries resulting from that were severe. "She died after she sustained tremendous force on her neck such that she could not breathe," Rao told the court. Cherish Perrywinkle was abducted from a Florida Walmart before being sexually assaulted and strangled until her eyes bled by a man who convinced her he was just a Good Samaritan. All Rights Reserved. It took a Jacksonville jury less than 15 minutes to find Donald James Smith, 61, guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle in Florida in 2013. #CherishPerrywinkle pic.twitter.com/OtiXxh3qm7. Smith allegedly lured Perrywinkle's family to Walmart in 2013 with promises to buy food and clothing, then left with the girl. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. gs,washing her hair and shewanted to buy her some new clothes. "In fact, hers was a brutal and tortured death.". The murder was especially heinous, or cruel; 5. At around 9 a.m. the following morning, officers spottedSmiths van off of I-95 near downtown Jacksonville. She suffered severe injuries, abrasions and contusions all over he body after being strangled with a piece of clothing, tortured and raped. @ActionNewsJax, Officer Charles Carter, with JSO's Department of Corrections Intelligence Unit is on the stand. Cherish's half-naked body, still wearing the same orange dress she is seen wearing at Walmart, was found in front of a church the next day. 1 Comment, "My family and myself are good, decent and very honest people. "Doctors are people too," said the State of Dr. Rao. She spent around 20 minutessearching Walmart, McDonalds and the car park. @ActionNewsJax, The recording is being played for the court #DonaldSmith @ActionNewsJax, Carter says he has heard Smith interact with other inmates. The van itself was empty. [The trial will] involve the most graphic photos you could possibly imagine,Smiths attorney Julie Schlax replied. Smith had his back turned to the screen and did not view the photos, Matter reported. @ActionNewsJax, Dr. Rao says Cherish died from asphyxia. His DNA was found on and inside Cherish's body and Cherish's DNA was found on his penis. @ActionNewsJax, Carter says he collected purple flip flops as evidence. Because of the nature of the case. Eight-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle's body told the tale of her suffering before she was finally strangled to death. He saw Cherish as a sexual object and when he raped her, he murdered her in an attempt to evade justice. Post-mortem reports found severe injuries and contusions all over her body, and concluded that the eight-year-old had been strangled with a piece of clothing after being tortured and raped. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Donald James Smith faces charges offirst-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery. Donald Smith was standing trial on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery. Police received a tip off that Don's van had been seen parked in woods. A Florida man who was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle has been sentenced to death for first degree murder and sexual battery convictions. I don't understand why he would leave right now unless he's going to rape her and kill her. It takes a person anywhere from three to five minutes to die from being asphyxiated to death. @ActionNewsJax, Dr. Rao had to also photograph Donald Smith @ActionNewsJax, While photos of Cherish's private parts were shown, Dr. Rao explained there was only a thin layer of tissue between the two areas. Looking at her genital area and her anal area, she had so much trauma, the anatomy was totally distorted by the injury that she sustained both to her vaginal area and her anus, Rao testified. Cliccando su Accetta tutto accetti che Yahoo e i suoi partner possano trattare i tuoi dati personali e utilizzare tecnologie come i cookie per mostrarti annunci e contenuti personalizzati, per la misurazione degli annunci e dei contenuti, per l'analisi del pubblico e per lo sviluppo dei prodotti. #DonaldSmith #CherishPerrywinkle, Two women cover their mouth as next photo is shown. 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