A Long Beach man was convicted Tuesday of the 1988 torture and murder of a friend at the victim's Sunset Beach home.
Orange County prosecutors said in a statement that 50-year-old Paul Gentile Smith was found guilty of one count of felony murder with the special circumstances of torture. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole when he returns to court for sentencing Nov. 29.
Prosecutors said Smith stabbed longtime friend Robert Haugen 18 times, then set the
victim's remains on fire at Haugen's Sunset Beach apartment.
Smith was charged last year after investigators say they matched him with DNA from
the scene.
Smith is awaiting trial on a charge of witness tampering for allegedly hiring a hitman last year
to assault the lead investigator in his murder case.
Orange County prosecutors said in a statement that 50-year-old Paul Gentile Smith was found guilty of one count of felony murder with the special circumstances of torture. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole when he returns to court for sentencing Nov. 29.
Prosecutors said Smith stabbed longtime friend Robert Haugen 18 times, then set the
victim's remains on fire at Haugen's Sunset Beach apartment.
Smith was charged last year after investigators say they matched him with DNA from
the scene.
Smith is awaiting trial on a charge of witness tampering for allegedly hiring a hitman last year
to assault the lead investigator in his murder case.
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