Nevada Man Arrested in Slaying of His Family
A Nevada man being sought in the slayings of his wife and two stepdaughters was arrested Monday at a motel in Inglewood, authorities said.
FBI agents and Los Angeles police arrested Joseph Weldon Smith, 50, at the Dream Motel in the 3200 block of West Imperial Highway at about 5:45 p.m., police Detective Tom Gorey said. Smith was held for investigation of murder and flight from Nevada to avoid prosecution.
Authorities tracked Smith by following his brother Harold, 52, of Inglewood, who was arrested on suspicion of aiding his brother’s flight.
Joseph Smith is suspected in the Oct. 6 slaying of his family in Henderson, a Las Vegas suburb. The victims were bludgeoned with a claw hammer and strangled, Nevada authorities said.
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