Bond set at $1M for suspect in brutal torture, murder of childhood friend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A man accused in the gruesome killing of a childhood friend had his bond set at $1 million.

Robert Smothers was arraigned Friday in connection with the September torture and murder of Jeremy Lind.

Police said Smothers and and Samantha Johnson woke Lind and another woman, took them to an undisclosed location and pistol whipped them, before removing Lind’s tongue.

Smothers then put the tongue in a foil ball and put it in Lind’s mouth, causing him to choke and die, court documents said.

Lind’s body was moved to a shed for two or three days before police said his body was dumped in an alley in the 3600 block of Lentz Avenue on Sept. 30, 2020.

Lind’s mother, Delores Lind, told WAVE 3 News on Thursday that she’s lived in hell for months.

”It just blew my mind,” Lind said. “That child had ate at my house and he had been with all of us ... They were all family.”

Smothers, 40, is charged with complicity to murder, assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and wanton endangerment.

He’s not allowed to be around weapons or the victims’ families. He’s due back in court Feb. 5.

Johnson, 31, appeared in court Thursday. She’s charged with murder, complicity to wanton endangerment, assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Her bond also was set at $1 million.

Police have not released a motive for the killing.

Copyright 2021 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.