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Smith, 63, was sentenced to life in prison with all but 50 years suspended (plus five years of supervised probation) for his role in the murder of 69-year-old Evelyn Player in the bathroom of Southern Baptist Church, where she was a prominent volunteer.
Investigators say that Smith stabbed Player dozens of times inside the church on the morning of Nov. 16, 2021.
The investigation determined that Player clocked into the church shortly after 6 a.m. on the day of her death, leaving a side door unlocked and propped open for the workers, State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said. When employees arrived, they were not greeted by Player, whose belongings were found at the front desk unattended.
She was ultimately located in a locked handicapped bathroom with 38 stab wounds, primarily to her face, neck, and chest, with 54 cutting wounds, the state's attorney added.
Through the course of the investigation into the murder, Smith was identified through DNA evidence. It remains unclear what prompted him to kill Player, who was not known to him at the time.
"The DNA evidence was submitted for testing, and three items contained a mixture of the victim’s DNA and that of Manzie Smith," according to Bates. "Additionally, security footage revealed several images of an individual approaching the church, entering at 6:11 a.m. and leaving at 6:29 a.m."
Investigators made note that Smith pawned two gold rings days after the murder that were linked back to Player.
According to reports, Smith has a lengthy criminal rap sheet that dates back decades, including convictions for rape and robbery. He reportedly had just completed supervised release for a previous assault before he murdered the popular volunteer.
Smith also suffers from several mental illnesses, officials noted. He had been scheduled to stand trial this week in Baltimore Circuit Court, when he would have faced a potential sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
He had been transferred to a state mental health facility during his court proceedings leading up to his possible trial. He was evaluated multiple times by doctors who deemed him fit to stand trial.
"This case was deeply traumatic for everyone in the community and especially for the family of Evelyn Player, a matriarch of the neighborhood, who can never be replaced,” Bates said. “This plea allows the family to receive closure and process their grief, resulting in a lengthy sentence that will ensure this dangerous individual never returns to the streets of our city again.”
Player was born in North Carolina before her family relocated to Baltimore when she was 5 years old, according to her obituary. At her church, she served on the Early Morning Choir, Media Ministry, Hospitality Committee, and Pastor's Aide, among other volunteer opportunities.
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