Man Gets State Prison For Killing Of Girlfriend

A domestic abuser who ended the life of a local mother was sentenced on Tuesday to state prison for his crimes.

Before Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Raymond McHugh at the Justice Center, Evan Marquis Smith, 39, of Falls Township’s Morrisville section, was sentenced to 23.5 to 47 years behind bars for the 2021 killing of 39-year-old Jamie Beighley.

During a bench trial last September, Smith was convicted by McHugh of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, strangulation, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault, fleeing and eluding, and driving without headlights to avoid detection.

Beighley’s sister, brother, mother, and best friend entered victim impact statements into the record during the sentencing Tuesday.

“She was my best friend and biggest supporter,” Beighley younger sister tearfully said.

One of Beighley’s loved ones called Smith a “true danger to society and his kids.”

Smith assaulted Beighley, his girlfriend, at the New Falls Hotel in the 200 block of Lincoln Highway late on the night of July 1, 2021. She suffered numerous injuries, including those related to being strangled, head trauma, and a possible brain bleed. The 39-year-old woman later died in the hospital.

Smith fled the motel and eluded the responding officers before being apprehended a short while later along Hunter Drive in the Pennwood Crossing mobile home park, which is where his kids were, according to authorities.

Prosecutors said Beighley, who had several children, was choked to the “point of unconsciousness” by Smith during a “heated verbal confrontation.”

Deputy District Attorney Kate Kohler laid out Smith’s history of domestic violence against Beighley during the bench trial.

“This was personal,” Kohler told the court of the killing. “Jamie was leaving him after 18 years of torture and violence.”

The trial also included evidence of threatening texts Smith sent to Beighley before her death.

During the bench trial, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy, Dr. Ian Hood, gave testimony regarding the serious wounds Beighley suffered. Beighley’s neck was bruised, and the hyoid bone in her neck was broken, according to the forensic pathologist, showing that someone had been tightly holding her neck.

Bite marks on Beighley’s fingers indicated she fought off her attacker during the struggle, according to Hood.

An inmate who was behind bars with Smith and a corrections officer both testified at trial that Smith had spoken to them about choking and killing his girlfriend.

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