Women pleads guilty in robbery, murder in 2019
wooden gavel and books on wooden table,on brown background
Garden City, Kan.–The Finney County Attorney’s office has announced that a women in a robbery and murder case of a restaurant owner has pled guilty.
On Thursday, November 7, 33-year-old Samantha Jo Smith pled guilty to an amended complaint filed in in Finney County District Court for conspiracy to commit robbery. The conspiracy involved Smith and Marcus Roady, who is now deceased in connection with the September 2019 death of Charles Ernest ‘Ernie’ Ortiz.
In September 2019, Ernie Ortiz was found shot outside of his family restaurant in Garden City and he later died at the hospital. It is believed Ortiz was shot during a robbery after he closed the business for the night.
The Finney County Attorney’s office said they recognize the death of Mr. Ortiz was devastating to the family, friends and community. As victims, the family has been involved throughout all phases of the investigation and prosecution of Samantha Smith. As prosecutors, it is our duty to ensure justice is fair and commensurate with crimes committed by parties charges. In this instance, the amendment of the complaint to a reduced charge of conspiracy to commit robbery took into consideration all facts and circumstances known by law enforcement and the county attorney at the time of the plea.
The case remains an open and ongoing investigation/ The Garden City Police Department requests that anyone with information about the case, is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or the Garden City Police Department Criminal Investigations Division.
Smith is scheduled for sentencing December 4.
