North Okanagan murder suspect pleads guilty to lesser charge, sentenced

Feb 29, 2024 | 5:30 PM

A North Okanagan murder trial is over before it got started.

Jevon Daniel Smith, who was charged with second degree murder, has pled guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter with a firearm in the 2021 death of Dakota Samoleski in Spallumcheen.

The guilty plea came just days before Smith’s jury trial was to have started on March 4.

Smith, who was born in 1975, was given a sentence of 3,102 days (about 8-and-a half-years), and after accounting for time already served in custody (credit of 1,338 days), he has to serve another 1,764 (or 4.8 years) behind bars.

“The court also imposed a lifetime firearms prohibition, a forfeiture order, and a DNA order,” Ann Seymour with the BC Prosecution Service told Vernon Matters.

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Samoleski’s body was found on Back Enderby Road in Spallumcheen on September 20, 2021.

Smith was arrested a few hours later in Armstrong.

The guilty plea and sentencing took place in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna on Thursday, Feb. 29.

Guilty plea expected in North Okanagan murder case
Feb. 29, 2024

A North Okanagan murder trial could be coming to a quick end.

Court documents show Jevon Daniel Smith intends to enter a guilty plea in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna Thursday, just days before his jury trial on a second degree murder charge is scheduled to begin.

Smith is accused in the shooting death of Dakota Samoleski who’s body was found on Back Enderby Road in Spallumcheen in September 2021.

Smith, who was born in 1975, was arrested a few hours later in Armstrong.

Vernon Matters reached out to the BC Prosecution Service for more details. The service was not able to say if Smith had entered a guilty plea as of 12:30 p.m., but did comment on the process if he does.

“Generally, after accused persons plead guilty, they are sentenced. Sometimes before the sentencing hearing, courts order the preparation of reports to provide more information to the court for the purpose of sentencing, Ann Seymour, Acting Communications Counsel
for the BC Prosecution Service, told Vernon Matters.

by Pete McIntyre

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