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Convicted murderer now charged with trying to kill his wife, authorities say

Elaine Goodman

A South Shore man with a prior murder conviction has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly forcing his wife to take enough pills to produce an overdose, authorities said.

Konolus Smith, 52, of Meyers was arrested Thursday on suspicion of attempted murder, spousal battery, false imprisonment and making terrorist threats, said Lt. Les Lovell with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

He was arraigned in El Dorado County Superior Court on Friday. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 24.



If convicted, Smith could face sentencing under California’s “three-strikes” rules because of past convictions for murder and attempted murder, officials said.

Deputy District Attorney Peter O’Hara said investigators from his office are tracking down details of Smith’s previous cases. Smith had been sentenced to life in prison for the murder conviction but was out on parole at the time of his arrest, O’Hara said.



Smith brought his wife to the emergency room at Barton Memorial Hospital on Aug. 29, saying she had overdosed on drugs in an attempted suicide, Lovell said.

But when interviewed later, the wife said her husband had tied her up and forced her to take pills, according to Lovell. The drugs allegedly included Tylenol PM, Benadryl and ibuprofen; toxicology tests will determine if there were others.

Based on information from interviews with Smith and his wife, including “limited admissions” from Smith, Lovell said probable cause was found for Smith’s arrest.

Deputies located him in Antioch and took him into custody.

The victim is no longer hospitalized and is expected to recover, Lovell said.


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