Ex-City Man Stabbed

Former Jamestown Businessman Found Dead In Buffalo

By Luke Anderson landerson@post-journal.com
BUFFALO — A man wanted for questioning in the stabbing death of a Jamestown man has been taken into custody by Niagara Falls Police.

Kevin Smith, 43, formerly of Jamestown, was found dead in the lower apartment at 101¢ Chenango Ave., Buffalo, on Tuesday afternoon after Buffalo Police Department homicide investigators received a tip. Tuesday night, police issued a pick-up order of Dennis Ray Washington, 46, who had been known to stay at various Buffalo and Niagara Falls addresses.

‘‘Some very alert Niagara Falls police officers located the suspect in that city this morning, and took him into custody for the Buffalo police,’’ said Dennis J. Richards, Buffalo Police Department chief of detectives.

An autopsy conducted on Smith early Wednesday determined the cause of death as multiple blows to the head and numerous stab wounds. Washington faces second-degree murder charges and criminal possession of a weapon charges. He will be arraigned in Buffalo City Court this morning. Sgt. Daniel Rinaldo and detectives Mary Gugliuzza and Michael Nordino led the investigation, assisted by Det. Noreen Walsh and Mary Evans, in addition to the Niagara Falls police.

Before being imprisoned in 2004, Smith was the owner of several businesses in the area, including The Auto Store.

Smith was charged along with an associate, Jay Shaffer, in 2004 with several crimes stemming from their operation of the business. They were accused of operating an illegal car dealership and deceiving customers by telling them they were purchasing cars when they were actually leasing them. Smith was also accused of collecting usurious loans while operating The Auto Store.

Smith pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2004. He was later sentenced to two-to-six years in prison for first-degree criminal usury, second-degree forgery and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. He was sentenced to 1•-to-four years in prison for first-degree scheme to defraud and two counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. Smith and Shaffer were also barred from operating any business in the state.

Smith’s father, R. Theodore Smith, was a respected County Legislator and Jamestown Community College professor, founding dean of the Cattaraugus County campus and dean of academic affairs who died Feb. 23, 2006.