Drive-by shooting suspect pleads guilty to Springfield woman's murder
EUGENE, Ore. -- One of the men accused of gunning down a Springfield woman in a drive-by shooting in a residential neighborhooded last year pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and attempted murder.
Ronald Joshua Smith admitted taking part in the attack that killed Wendy Jo Whitaker in September 2008.
Sentencing will be delayed until after the trial of Smith's co-defendant, Michael Wayne Wesley.
The "expectation is that if called to testify, he will do so," deputy district attorney Patty Perlow said of Smith.
Police believe the shooting was a drug deal gone bad and that Whitaker was not the intended target.
Police think Smith and Wesley had an ongoing dispute with Whitaker's boyfriend, Jess Anderson.
Smith told police that he and Wesley tried to force their way into Whitaker's home in an attempt to rob and assault Anderson as payback for a bad drug deal, according to a search warrant affidavit filed by the Springfield Police Department.
They found the door to the house locked, so they threw a breaker switch, cutting power to the residence in an attempt to force Anderson to come outside.
Smith told police they waited in a stolen Honda Accord. When Whitaker drove up to pick up Anderson, Smith drove the Honda up along side Whitaker's vehicle and they opened fire.
Police arrested Smith around 2 p.m. later that day. Police took Wesley into custody after police say he tried to ram undercover detectives with his car. Police returned fire, injuring Wesley.
In addition to Whitaker's murder, Smith also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Anderson, first degree burglary with a firearm and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
