GUILTY TX - Julia Muckleroy, 71, murdered in her Baytown home, 17 June 2010

A Baytown man who cried in front of our cameras over the stabbing of a neighbor is now charged with her murder. Eyewitness News talked to Isaac Smith on June 17, the day 71-year-old Julia Muckleroy was stabbed in her home. Smith told us Muckleroy was like a mother, and he didn't understand why anyone would want to hurt her.

But police say that was all an act. They say Smith attacked Muckleroy because he was desperate for drug money.

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Officers arrived in the 300 block of North Street and found Muckleroy with multiple stab wounds on her neck. She died at Memorial Hermann Hospital-The Texas Medical Center. Later that day, Smith was filmed crying as he explained the kindness and generosity of “Miss Julie.”

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A jury convicted appellant Issac Smith of capital murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole...

Between 8:45 and 9:00 a.m., appellant — who lived across the street from
complainant — approached the neighborhood on foot and attempted to enter his
home, which was within the cordoned-off crime scene area. When stopped by a
police officer, appellant told the officer that he was returning home from a nearby
motel where he had spent the night smoking crack cocaine and engaging the
services of prostitutes. Appellant told the officer that he had ridden to the motel on
his motorcycle, but had traded his motorcycle for crack cocaine while at the motel...

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