Charges moved forward in Cranberry Twp homicide case
CRANBERRY TWP — There were sighs of relief mixed with tears of sorrow in the courtroom Friday as charges moved forward for a Cranberry Township woman accused of shooting and killing her boyfriend last month.
A felony charge of criminal homicide against Amanda M. Hughes, 26, will proceed to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas in connection to the Feb. 12 death of Anthony D. Smith, 30.
Family and friends of Smith let out sighs of relief and gratitude when the decision was made by District Judge Kevin Flaherty at the preliminary hearing, while those who came in support of Hughes wept.
Hughes told police Smith had been punching her in the face and head prior to the shooting Feb. 12. Cranberry Township police were dispatched around 12:10 a.m. to a home on Brandywine Drive, where police found Smith at the base of a flight of stairs with multiple gunshot wounds, according to reports.
During the hearing, it was revealed Smith was shot five times: twice in the arm, once in the thigh, and twice in the back.
Flaherty heard testimony from Edward Steinmetz, Cranberry Township police officer, about his observations on scene later that morning.
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