OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies said they have arrested four people in connection with a slaying that happened in St. Cloud last week.
Investigators said 59-year-old Anita Smith was killed when she went outside her home on Lake Lizzie Drive to confront suspected drug dealers.
Only one person charged in this case spoke up when Eyewitness News asked them about the killing of an innocent woman who died simply because she was looking out for her family.
“I didn't do anything,” said 19-year-old Cody White as detectives hauled him away to jail.
“Why don't you tell us your side of the story then?” asked Eyewitness News reporter Nancy Alvarez.
“(Because) I'm about to get in a cop car,” said White.
Detectives said White and 20-year-old David Smith randomly chose 59-year-old Anita Smith's back yard as a meeting place for a drug deal.
It was just after 2 a.m. last Thursday when Smith noticed the men outside the house she shared with her mother and sister in a quiet St. Cloud neighborhood.
“She was a strong-willed, feisty lady. She would protect everyone,” said Smith’s sister, Linda Miller.
Smith's sisters said they are not surprised she went out to confront the strangers on her property, but seconds later she was shot and killed behind a barn. In an instant, Shirley Tutton lost the sister who saw her through a battle with cancer and cared for her every day.
“She would come home and we'd sit on the porch and laugh and talk about the day,” said Tutton.
Evidence at the scene led detectives to Smith and White, and to two young women charged with accessory to murder.
Detectives said 22-year-old Brandy Taylor and 18-year-old Kaitlyn Robare helped the two men, who have criminal records, leave the area. Now, all four are being held in jail.
“I feel bad for them because they're caught up in this stuff so many young people are caught up in, and this is the tragic end that happens,” said Miller.
Detectives said 25-year-old Patrick Bacon was also on Smith's property during the drug deal. He was shot and remains in critical condition.
An Osceola County Sheriff's Office spokesperson said this case is a reminder that if you see something suspicious, you should just call 911 and not try to handle it yourself.