Maurice Kelso Smith, 32, was found guilty of the 2020 capital murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Darionne Burley, by a Tarrant County jury on Monday. Burley was carrying their twin boys at the time of her death. As a result of the conviction, Smith received an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Assistant District Attorneys Allenna Bangs and Kate Hinojosa represented the state in the trial. The incident occurred on June 29, 2020, when Smith and Burley were last seen leaving a Waffle House in the Fort Worth area. Shortly after, Smith fatally shot Burley in the back of the head, resulting in the deaths of both Burley and their unborn babies.
In an attempt to flee the scene, Smith drove to Mansfield, where he committed an armed robbery, stealing a woman's vehicle. Police found Burley's body in Smith's abandoned car, leading to the discovery of Smith attempting to clean the stolen vehicle at his residence. Further investigation revealed evidence linking Smith to the murder, including blood-stained clothes and the illegal firearm used in the crime.
During the trial, evidence was presented indicating that Smith had a history of assaulting Burley and was heavily using drugs at the time of the incident. Despite an initial overdose scare, it was determined that Smith was faking his intoxication to evade responsibility.
Following the verdict, the Burley family expressed that there were no winners in this tragic situation and highlighted the loss they endured due to Smith's actions. The district attorney's office acknowledged the contributions of DA investigators Caleb Blank and Tim Pinckney, as well as Victim Advocate Clara Salvatierra, in securing the conviction.
The Mansfield Police Department investigated the case.
