Inset left: Scott M. Horton (Lexington County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Patricia Smerdell (11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office). Background: The residence where Horton killed Smerdell in Lexington, S.C. (Google Maps).
A South Carolina man will spend multiple decades behind bars for beating his common-law wife to death and then staying in the house with her dead body overnight.
In late June, Scott M. Horton, 59, was convicted by a jury in Lexington County on one count of murder for the June 2020 beating death of 56-year-old Patricia Smerdell.
On Thursday, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced the defendant was sentenced to 45 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge Debra R. McCaslin. Horton is not eligible for parole.
The attack occurred on June 19, 2020, at the couple’s residence on Wynnsum Trail in Lexington, a large suburb located roughly 15 miles west of Columbia.
The defendant himself made the 911 call that Saturday morning, telling the dispatcher his wife was on the floor and not moving or breathing, according to a press release issued by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office.
“Upon entering the residence, first responders noted that Patricia Smerdell had been deceased for several hours and had numerous bruises across her face and body,” the sheriff’s office said.
At first, Horton told deputies he had arrived home from work the night before to find his wife unresponsive on the floor.
“He stated that he observed bruising on her face, placed a blanket over her, and left her in the floor overnight,” the press release reads.
Four days later, however, the man’s narrative shifted, and he made inconsistent statements “about when he first found his wife injured on the floor,” according to law enforcement.
The sheriff’s office took note of the woman’s injuries:
An autopsy was conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina by forensic pathologist Dr. Angelina Phillips on June 23, 2020. The autopsy documented over 30 separate injuries to Patricia Smerdell, including multiple patterned injuries consistent with the use of a blunt force tool or instrument. The pathologist noted injuries to the victim’s head, face, ear, chin, torso, shoulder, hip, and lower back.
“The pathologist determined that the numerous injuries were inconsistent with a fall,” the press release goes on. “The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death was homicide.”
During trial, prosecutors established that Horton and Smerdell were the only two occupants of the Wynnsum Trail house and there were no signs of burglary or forced entry on the night in question.
The state also painted a picture of a couple at odds with one another.
“Evidence set forth that the couple had a history of animosity, including testimony from a neighbor that he heard frequent arguments between the pair,” according to the sheriff’s office.
In 2017 and 2018, law enforcement visited the house due to disputes between the couple, authorities said.
“During the sentencing phase, the family of Patricia Smerdell shared photographs and memories of her as a mother, sister, and business professional,” the sheriff’s office said.
