Alleged jail phone conversation to girlfriend could put murder suspect away for life

Jeremiah Smith, accused of killing a 17-year-old during a robbery at Northwest Accessories on North Monroe Street in May, has been using a phone at the Spokane County Jail to profess his love for two women, and telling one of them to lie to detectives regarding his whereabouts on the night of the homicide, according to new court documents in the case.

Smith, also known as Glenn A. Akers, was identified as a suspect in the shooting by his parole officer, who recognized his tattoos in surveillance video of the crime. Smith had been released from prison not long before the midnight shooting on May 26. When he was arrested on June 4 at 7910 E. Euclid Ave., he was wearing the same sweatshirt and Air Jordan sneakers as the suspect in the video, according to court documents.

Bobbi M. Stuhlmiller, 22, told police that she began dating Smith while he was in prison on charges of first-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. Smith moved into her home on Euclid when he was released and Stuhlmiller said she is pregnant with his child.

A search of Smith’s cellphone showed numerous texts between Smith and Stuhlmiller before he was arrested. Smith texted her early in the morning of May 26, shortly after the shooting, to ask that she pick him up in north Spokane.

When she was later interviewed by police she denied picking Smith up and didn’t show up for an additional interview with police on June 25 as requested, according to court documents.

Smith made three recorded phone calls from the Spokane County Jail on June 25. In the first he called Stuhlmiller, and she informed him that detectives wanted her to give a statement.

Smith then called another woman whom he has called frequently and talked of their plans to spend the rest of their lives together once he got out of jail, according to court documents.

Smith then called Stuhlmiller back, telling her that he was fighting the charges against him so he could get out of jail to take care of her and their baby. According to court documents, he also instructed her to tell detectives that she was with him the whole night of the shooting, closing his comments with “You feel me?”

Smith is now facing a new charge of witness tampering along with murder and other charges.

Smith has two strikes on his record and a conviction would put him in prison for life.