Man pleads guilty in Wabash River death

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Wesley Kelly pleaded guilty to murder, in the death of Steven Lee Smith, after a little confusion in court Friday afternoon.

Circuit Court Judge Don Daniel informed Kelly of his rights, saying he had a plea agreement with Kelly's signature on it.

But when Judge Daniel finally asked Kelly what he plead, Kelly said "not guilty." He then clarified that he meant to say "guilty."

Kelly's defense attorney, James Michael Trueblood, asked his client about the turn of events on December 6th, 2008.

Kelly told the court that he had been living with Smith for about two months, when they had some neighbors over for a party. Kelly became angry because Smith told one of the guests that Kelly was a sex offender.

He said he struck Smith, and Smith then hit the back of his head on a toilet.

Kelly said Smith was contemplating suicide, and Kelly encouraged his roommate to go through with it, walking with him to the railroad bridge over the Wabash River. Kelly said when Smith changed his mind, he struck him with a padlock.

In court, he described how Smith's body fell into the river, resurfaced and then went into the water again. He said he knew that Smith was afraid of water and couldn't swim.

Family members and police have searched for Smith's body over the past year and a half. And Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington and family members said the search is likely to continue, even after today's plea.

"I don't think the Lafayette Police Department's ever going to stop looking," Harrington said. "I think with the amount of public attention to this crime we still have hopes, as I'm sure the family does, that some point in time, something in the river will be found."

"It'll be someone that's out there along the river, find something that's out of place and call Lafayette Police and have them come in and take a look at it, see if it was something of Steve," said Cyndi Miller, Steven Smith's cousin. "A piece of clothing, a shoe, anything like that. Just anything that you would associate with a person, maybe if you see it call them. Cause it could be mother nature's way of giving Steve back."

Miller said the plea hearing offered closure for the family to take the next step in the grieving process.

She said the family plans to build a memorial in honor of Steven Smith. They will be starting the fund raising process for that very soon.

Kelly's sentencing is set for August 27th. He faces 50 to 60 years in prison, but for cooperating with law enforcement, the court will drop two other charges: a felony for being a habitual offender and a misdemeanor charge for battery.

The habitual offender charge would carry extra prison time of up to 30 years.