By David Lohr
May 18, 2007
STAFFORD, Conn. (Crime Library) — After a nearly two-month-long investigation, police have finally made an arrest in the murder of 22-year-old Shamaia Smith.
On March 14, Shamaia Smith, 22, disappeared on her way to work at Kahoots, a Windsor Avenue strip club. When she failed to return home the following day, her mother, Gloria Frink, called the East Hartford Police Department and reported her missing.
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| Shamaia Smith |
Investigators quickly focused their attention on 56-year-old Kenneth J. Otto Sr., a regular customer of Kahoots. Otto admitted giving Shamaia a ride, but he insisted that he had dropped her off at the club, and then gone home to bed. As part of their investigation, police seized Otto's pickup truck and conducted a search of a 75-acre wooded parcel he owns in Stafford. Otto initially consented to the search, but then withdrew his consent when he learned that police wanted to use cadaver dogs. The following week, investigators returned with a search warrant.
Investigators spent four days searching Otto's property with dogs, police personnel, and heavy machinery. On April 17, police discovered charred human remains on the property. The following week, police announced that, using DNA samples taken from her mother, they had identified the remains as those of Shamaia. The medical examiner was unable to determine a cause of death because the remains were so badly burned.
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| Kenneth Otto Sr. |
In addition to Shamaia's remains, investigators also found a bloody mop and other incriminating items on Otto's property. Investigators believe Otto that murdered Shamaia, dismembered her remains, and then cremated her.
On May 15, police arrested Otto at Bradley International Airport. When he was captured he had in his possession his passport, toiletries, 20 bottles of medicine for a lung disease from which he suffers, and $10,000 in U.S. and Canadian currency. Otto claimed that he was at the airport to meet a business associate, and that the money was for lawyer fees. While his explanation is possible, it is highly unlikely.
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Remains Found May Be Shamaia Smith's
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