Teen Pleads Innocent In Couple’s Deaths

A teenager accused of fatally shooting an elderly couple pleaded innocent Tuesday.

Adam Bentancourt, 16, was charged with two counts of aggravated firstdegree murder in the shooting deaths of Homer and Vada Smithson in their rural Quincy farmhouse last Wednesday.

Bentancourt said little but entered the plea during the brief hearing before Grant County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Jorgensen, who set a July 16 trial date. Bail was continued at $1 million.

Bentancourt faces a possible life prison sentence if convicted.

Three other teens who are 15 face a June 3 hearing to determine whether they will be tried in adult court in connection with the slayings.

Also charged with aggravated first-degree murder is Donald Eugene Lambert.

Marcus David Wawers, who lived in a trailer less than a half mile from the Smithsons, was charged with two counts of complicity to commit aggravated first-degree murder. Melanie S. Hinkle was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and one count of conspiracy to commit burglary.

Prosecutor John Knodell has said the teens apparently were motivated in part by a grudge against Homer Smithson over some past employment.

The Smithsons, 89-year-old Homer and 88-year-old Vada, apparently were shot as part of a scheme to steal guns from their home and shoot up the home of an unidentified police officer, Grant County officials said.