Nearly eight years after former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was shot and killed following a traffic collision, the man found responsible for Smith’s death has been found guilty of manslaughter.
Smith, who died at 34 years old, was selected by the Saints with the 18th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. An All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Smith would go on to help bring the Lombardi Trophy to New Orleans.
- Will Smith career stats: 112 QB hits, 85 tackles for loss, 67.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, 26 pass deflections, 7 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions in 139 games
Related: NFL lawsuit may prevent Jon Gruden from joining New Orleans Saints
The 6-foot-3 edge defender spent the majority of his NFL career in New Orleans. Across nine seasons playing in a Saints’ uniform, Smith earned a 2006 Pro Bowl selection and recorded two seasons with double-digit sacks. He last played for New Orleans in 2012 and briefly spent time in the summer of 2013 with the New England Patriots before being released and then retiring.
On the night of April 9, 2016, Smith was involved in a traffic collision in New Orleans involving his car. Smith’s Mercedes-Benz G Wagon was rear-ended by a Hummer, which allegedly occurred after Smith’s vehicle initially struck the Hummer minutes earlier.
Smith confronted Carnell Hayes, who was 28 at the time of the incident. According to the New Orleans Police Department, Smith and Hayes exchanged words outside of their cars. Following the exchange, Hayes fired his handgun multiple times, killing Smith and injuring his wife Racquel Smith.
Assistant District Attorney Matt Derbes admitted during closing arguments of the trial that Smith was intoxicated at the time of the accident, per ESPN. While the former Saints’ defender had a gun inside his vehicle, no testimony or evidence was provided that indicated he went to retrieve the weapon following the confrontation with Hayes.
Related: New Orleans Saints draft picks 2024
In December 2016, Hayes was convicted of manslaughter for Smith’s death and attempted manslaughter for shooting Racquel Smith. However, the jury voted 10-2, with the conviction later tossed following the Supreme Court’s ruling against nonunanimous verdicts.
Following years of delayed retrials, prosecutors concluded their case against Hayes on Friday and his defense did not call any more witnesses to the standard. On Saturday morning, a jury found Hayes guilty of manslaughter for Smith’s deaths and he was acquitted on charges of attempted manslaughter for the shooting that injured Smith’s wife.
Following the jury’s verdict, Hayes could now face up to 40 years in prison. Smith left behind three children.