Sex By Deception

Ex-Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute acquitted of mistaken-gender-identity murder of Tinder date

Isimemen Etute Upon Being Acquitted Of Second Degree Murder

The former Virginia Tech football player accused of beating a Tinder date to death after mistaking him for a woman was acquitted of second-degree murder Friday.

Isimemen Etute, 19, was found not guilty in the 2021 death of Jerry Smith, 40, after his lawyer argued he acted in self-defense.

A Christiansburg, Virginia, jury deliberated for three hours before handing down the verdict, according to The Roanoke Times.

Etute had said he visited Smith last April to engage in oral sex, after matching with someone named “Angie” on Tinder. The next month, he returned to the victim’s apartment to verify his gender.

The linebacker then groped Smith before allegedly beating him to death, a detective testified.

Etute took the stand in his own defense earlier this week and said he felt “violated” that his date lied about his gender. The defendant said Smith had insisted they meet in the dark and had reached for what he thought was a gun.

Etute testified he punched Smith five times and kicked him to escape the apartment.

Found in Smith’s apartment, under the box spring of Smith’s bed, was a knife.

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Oh, I’m sure Etute did indeed feel violated.

I have to wonder what Jerry Smith was thinking when he accepted this date with Etute on Tinder and I also have to wonder if he entertained the notion of getting away with deceiving Etute, a body-proud, macho athletic male and did Jerry Smith even consider what the consequences would have been had his ruse been uncovered.

Isimemen Etute acted in self-defense as nobody who is found to be engaging in deception should be trusted. He’s lucky to have gotten out of Smith’s apartment with his life as there is no telling what Smith had in mind.