I Don’t Blame Him One Bit!
By: Tommy “Tj” Sotomayor

UPDATE: Virginia Tech football player facing murder charges will be out on bond under new agreement

UPDATE 6:14 p.m.: The Virginia Tech football player, Isimemen Etute, will be allowed out on bond under a new agreement.

Etute will now be under house arrest and electronic monitoring at his parent’s house in Virginia Beach, according to prosecutors.

A judge granted Etute a $75,000 bond, prosecutors originally appealed that, but that was dropped Wednesday afternoon.

UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: A judge granted bond to a suspended Virginia Tech football player charged with second-degree murder Wednesday morning, but Isimemen Etute will not get out of jail for a while.

Prosecutors immediately appealed the decision on Wednesday, June 9 and the judge put a stay on the $75,000 secured bond for at least five days.

It came out in court Wednesday morning that the victim in last week’s homicide, 40-year-old Jerry Paul Smith, and Etute had known each other for a short while.

Prosecutors say Etute met Smith through a dating app, but the 18-year-old thought that Smith was a woman named Angie. The pair met, at which time Smith reportedly gave Etute oral sex.

According to testimony, the two met up again, but it was at that time Etute realized Smith was a man, prosecutors say.

The Commonwealth contends Etute became angry and punched Smith multiple times in the face. In addition, he allegedly stomped on Smith with so much force that it broke every bone in his face.

Etute’s preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 23.

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BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) — Isimemen Etute — the suspended Virginia Tech linebacker facing a murder charge — is due in court Wednesday for a bond hearing.

Etute, 18, is being charged with second-degree murder after 40-year-old Jerry Smith of Blacksburg was found dead by police during a wellness check on June 1.Victim identified in Blacksburg homicide; Hokies linebacker charged; VT issues statement 

However, court paperwork shows the homicide happened on May 31, the same day Etute was given a speeding ticket in Radford.

The medical examiner says Smith died from blunt force injuries to the head.Medical examiner rules cause of death in Blacksburg homicide as ‘blunt force injuries to the head’ 

WFXR News interviewed Smith last year outside a restaurant with which he was associated, the Centro Taco Bar in Blacksburg. The Blacksburg Police Department announced on June 3 that the restaurant is the subject of a separate investigation.

According to Virginia Tech, Etute was placed on immediate interim suspension as of June 2, which also affects his standing with the Hokies football team.Virginia Tech football player appears in court on murder charge 

During Etute’s virtual appearance at the Montgomery County District Court last week, the judge appointed Etute an attorney and scheduled his preliminary hearing for Sept. 23.

However, online court records say that Etute has a bond hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 9.