Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Krese rendered the verdict of guilty to Bothell resident Alan Smith for the murder of his estranged wife Susann Smith in front of a packed courtroom on Wednesday in Everett. The verdict was eerily read just as the 2 p.m. bell rang from outside of the courtroom, listen to the verdict above.

Alan Smith was arrested in June 2013 for the suspected murder of his estranged wife, Susann Smith, after she was found in her own home beaten 22 times with blunt or sharp force objects and then drown in a tub of water.

The Judge indicated that without the testimony from Wendell Morris, who testified that Alan Smith confessed to him he committed the crime, the conviction may not have been possible.

“Having reviewed [Morris’s] testimony several times, the court finds it to be compelling and trustworthy…” the judge said. “When it became clear to Mr. Morris that Alan Smith was not going to turn himself in, he did what any conscientious citizen with that information would do and reported it to the police himself.”

After the evidence and testimony was reviewed, the judge rendered her verdict.

“This confession establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that Alan Smith is responsible for the murder of Susann Smith,” said Krese as the bell tolled outside.

Prior to the verdict, Krese reviewed much of the evidence given during the three-week trial.

“These findings are supported by the evidence of trial beyond a reasonable doubt. Susann Smith’s death was unquestionably the result of homicidal violence, as found by the medical examiner,” the judge stated. “There is nothing that indicates that Alan Smith could not have committed the crime.”

The judge also reiterated much of the testimony heard, including testimony given by investigators, crime scene analysts and other criminal experts.

“In the end, all of this evidence has to be considered in light of Mr. Smith’s actions with Wendell Morris,” the judge said.

With regards to whether the act was premeditated, statements to Rachael Amrine, comments to others that “Alan will never let the Susann take the kids to Germany” and particularly the efforts that were clearly taken to make sure that trace evidence was not left at the scene of the crime, all point to premeditation, the judge stated.

“Based on all of the above, the court finds beyond a reasonable doubt that on or about the 10th day of February 2013 through the 11th day of February 2013, in the State of Washington, Alan Smith went to Susann Smith’s home and attacked her with at least two deadly weapons with the premeditated intent to cause her death, that he further placed her still living body in the bathtub, which he filled with water, and that all of these acts combined caused her death,” Krese stated.

“Therefore the court finds Alan Smith guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of committing the crime of first degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon, and that the murder of Susann Smith was a crime of domestic violence and that she was a family or household member.”

Sentencing for Alan Smith will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the Snohomish County Courthouse.

The verdict comes after nearly two years of investigation and pre-trial litigations following the discovery of Susann’s body at her residence in Bothell.