Suspected killer held without bail

Gregory A. Smith, 30, pleaded innocent to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Wesley Wing, 37, of Springfield. Smith was ordered held without bail.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150425/NEWS02/704259901

Suspected killer held without bail By Susan Smallheer Staff Writer | April 25,2015 Photo by Valley News Wesley Wing's daughter, Casey WIng, 15, left, and his mother, Terry WIng, listen during the arraignment of Gregory Allen Smith at Windsor Superior Court in White River Junction, Vt., on April 24, 2015. Smith plead not guilty to 2nd Degree Murder charges associated with the shooting of Wesley Wing in Springfield, Vt., on April 18. (Valley News - Sarah Priestap) Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Springfield man charged with murder, who eluded capture for five days with the help of two girlfriends in two states, denied the charge in court Friday. Gregory A. Smith, 30, pleaded innocent to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Wesley Wing, 37, of Springfield. Smith was ordered held without bail. His girlfriend, Wendy Morris, 25, of Springfield, who was arrested with him Thursday, pleaded innocent to being an accessory to a felony after the fact. She was released without posting cash bail. Smith’s attorney said she would not seek bail for him, but she requested a weight-of-evidence hearing. With that, Smith was whisked out of White River Junction criminal court. A woman in the back of the courtroom called out, “We love you, Greg,” prompting the shackled Smith to turn around as he was escorted out of the courtroom by deputy sheriffs. It prompted a strong warning from the court officer that there should be no more outbursts or people would be removed. In all, Smith’s time in court was less than two minutes. In the courtroom were eight members of the Wing family, including two of his daughters, Brooke and Casey, his mother, Terry Wing, his two brothers, Klinton and Jacob Wing, and other family members. There was an equal number of supporters of Smith and Morris. Court documents listed a Rounds Road address in Rockingham for Smith, who was born in Springfield, but grew up in Rockingham and Grafton. Morris is a lifelong resident of Springfield, with many family members in Springfield, according to her attorney. Smith was arrested Thursday morning along with Morris at her brother’s camper in South Londonderry by a Vermont State Police special tactical unit. Smith appeared in court wearing a camouflage jacket with a hood and several days worth of facial hair. Smith’s court-appointed lawyer, Jordana Levine, a Windsor County public defender, requested the weight-of-evidence hearing, which forces the prosecution to put on a mini-trial to fight the defense effort to have him released on bail. Windsor County State’s Attorney Michael Kainen said the hearing would be held in about 10 days. None of the Springfield and Vermont State Police officers who have been investigating Wing’s death were in the courtroom Friday. Kainen said Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston said told him detectives were still working on many aspects of the case. Also attending the arraignments was Springfield Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris (no relation to Wendy Morris), who said he wanted to let the Wing family that the town is committed to fighting drug crime. The brisk pace at the start of the afternoon court arraignments slowed considerably for Morris, who ultimately was released on an appearance bond that did not require cash. But Judge Robert Gerety, stressing that state law required that cash bail only be set as a means of guaranteeing a person’s appearance in court, said Morris did not have a criminal record and thus no failures to appear in court. While Gerety acknowledged that she had helped Smith elude capture, he rejected a request from the prosecution that Morris be held for lack of $10,000 cash bail. But the judge set strict conditions, including that she not have any contact with members of the Wing family. Morris and the Wing family are neighbors and Morris will have to drive by the Wing’s home on her way to and from her home. After her court hearing, Kainen said he could not legally force Morris to move from her Lark Lane home to avoid contact with the Wing family, though she stay at least 50 feet away. Court documents to support the second-degree murder charge and the accessory charge contained few new details of the case. A Keene, N.H., woman, Kristin Walsh, 29, has already been arrested and jailed in New Hamsphire for hindering a police investigation by hiding Smith at her apartment and later trying to coerce apartment mates into lying about Smith’s activities. Morris had told police detectives Thursday after her arrest that she had purchased a new cellphone to communicate with her boyfriend, knowing she was under surveillance. She said she tried to shake the surveillance as she was driving to meet Smith at her brother’s remote camper trailer in South Londonderry. Members of the Wing family said after the hearings they were disappointed that Morris was released, and that she didn’t face more charges. They said she was a contributing factor in Wesley Wing’s death. Court records state that Morris, after being confronted by Wesley Wing, had gone to Smith, her boyfriend. Together, but in separate cars, they followed Wing as he walked to Jake’s South Street Market. Smith later shot Wing after another discussion, police said. Morris had left the scene. Wing was shot four times, a short distance from the neighborhood store. He died the next morning. Klinton Wing, 35, of Springfield, said the family knew the police were still working on the case and additional or more serious charges might result. But Wing said he would move into Sheila Wing’s house if necessary to protect his sister-in-law and her four children with Morris so close by. “She said this is not going to force her out of her hometown,” saKlinton Widing, adding that Sheila grew up very close to where the family now lives. Klinton Wing and his mother, Terry Wing, said they planned to attend the community vigil planned for Sunday evening in the South Street neighborhood of Springfield, close to the scene of the shooting. “I’m going to speak,” Terry Wing said, choking up. “I can’t speak now. But I’ll speak Sunday night.”