Brother of woman whose husband, stepdaughter blamed panhandler for her murder speaks out

BALTIMORE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The brother of a woman whose husband said she was stabbed to death by a panhandler in Baltimore, and later charged with her murder, told FOX 5 Monday he was suspicious of his brother-in-law’s story from the start, and he now believes money was the motive behind his sister’s horrific death.

"I was laughing then and, you know, I knew it was a circus. I knew it was all for optics. I knew it was a show and I was just laughing. I knew this day would come. I didn't know it would come this soon,” said Marcel Trisvan, Jacquelyn Smith’s brother. 

RELATED: Police arrest husband, stepdaughter of woman ‘killed by panhandler' in Baltimore

Trisvan says he was immediately suspicious of Keith Smith's story when he and Smith talked in the days after the murder. He says Smith admitted to rolling down the passenger window as they pulled up to the intersection the night of December 1, 2018.

“He said he wasn't thinking — he said he pressed the auto button and the window kind of went down automatically. But… so question number two is why didn't you stomp the car and drive off?” said Trisvan. Smith told Trisvan he froze.

From there, Trisvan said he was in constant contact with the detectives in Baltimore who he says did not admit they were suspicious of the story as well.

“Even going forward, I know there is still a lot of work to be done — but awesome job Baltimore,” said Trisvan.

Trisvan says he last saw Keith Smith two weeks ago outside of Jacquelyn's house in Aberdeen when he handed over the keys and said he was moving to Florida.

He said his sister and her stepdaughter never had a good relationship. Trisvan now wonders what motivated the killing.

RELATED: Mugshots released of suspects charged in woman's murder, false report

“Could have been money. It could have been  — there was some tension — there was not a great relationship between the daughter and my sister, and so there could have been a heated argument or a discussion that turned deadly, and maybe he is covering up you know for his daughter, or this was conspired, you know, since, for how long?” said Trisvan.

Trisvan says if convicted he would like Keith Smith and his daughter to get life in prison and never see the light of day again.