Smith family murder in Georgia: Suspect faces additional charge

The suspect, Malkhaz Kobauri, continues to say that he is innocent. Photo: GHN.

Agenda.ge, 09 Nov 2018 - 18:51, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has announced that 19-year-old Shepard Malkhaz Kobauri, who has been accused of murder of Ryan and Caleb Smith in mountainous Georgia in July, has also been charged for the rape and murder of Lora Smith.

The Prosecutor’s Office says that the charge has been aggravated after the results of an autopsy, conducted on the body of Lora Smith, became known.

Kobauri’s lawyer claims that the new charge has been made in a situation when the investigation “has no new evidence.”

The lawyer says that Kobauri is innocent and he would not have raped Lora Smith as the suspect is virgin.

The Smith family went missing in early July and the family friends addressed police for help.

The bodies of Ryan and Lora Smith were found on July 7 in the Khada Gorge of  Dusheti region, in eastern Georgia.

Kobauri was detained on July 11 and he himself showed the site to law enforcers where a four-year-old Caleb’s body was buried.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that initially Kobauri admitted to the crime, but later he said that “two foreigners” killed the Smiths.

The case prosecutor says that the dispute between Kobauri and Ryan Smith emerged because of a riffle the shepherd carried with him.

The prosecutor says that Ryan Smith told the shepherd to be cautious with the weapon, especially at the presence of a kid.

Ryan Smith was shot two times, while Lora Smith’s body was found next to a waterfall. The prosecutor says she allegedly ran and fell down from a cliff.

Ryan and Lora Smith had dual Georgia and American citizenship and had been living in Georgia’s eastern Marneuli region for more than 10 years, where they had a business producing Azerbaijani rugs.

If Kobauri is found guilty, he will be sent to prison for life.