San Jose man charged with brutal murder

For release on September 16, 2021

CONTACT:

Carolyn Malinsky
Deputy District Attorney
Homicide Unit
(408) 808-3774

San Jose man charged with brutal murder

A 25-year-old San Jose man has been charged with the murder of a 72-year-old man. Sherman Smith is suspected to have tied the victim up to a chair, repeatedly stabbed him, and drowned him in a bathtub.

Witnesses and surveillance video showed Sherman Smith entering the victim’s apartment and throwing away items after the crime.

Smith was arraigned on Wednesday and was remanded without bail.

“This horrific crime and the defendant who did it has no place in our society,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and friends.”

On Monday, September 6, 2021, San Jose Police Communications received a 911 call regarding a request for a welfare check at an apartment on E. Santa Clara Street. A woman was worried about her father.

That morning police entered the apartment and found the victim’s body in a bathtub. He had been stabbed and had a rope around his torso. The crime scene had been cleaned with bleach, but police found evidence that clearly showed an extremely violent and bloody crime.

The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner observed three stab wounds to his back. The ME opined that the stab wounds were not fatal. 

A surveillance video showed the suspect entering the apartment, staying there for thirty hours, and then leaving laden with shopping bags.

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