HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Fifteen years after a woman was strangled to death, her accused killer is now behind bars and charged with murder, according to court documents.<\/p>\n
Houston police said new evidence linked 54-year-old Earnest Smith to the crime and arrested him on Friday.<\/p>\n
The district attorney’s office said the victim, 38-year-old Bridget Caldwell, and Smith were in an off-and-on-again dating relationship for five to six years.<\/p>\n
Caldwell was found dead in her apartment, located on Dunvale near Richmond, on March 6, 2011, investigators said.<\/p>\n
HPD said her dad went to check on her after she didn’t show up for work that morning.<\/p>\n
According to court documents, Smith invited Caldwell to dinner March 6, 2011, but she declined.<\/p>\n
The defendant told detectives at the time, that wasn’t true.<\/p>\n
Documents show Smith did admit they were in a relationship but said they broke up two years prior.<\/p>\n
Documents also reveal Caldwell made outcries of domestic violence and stalking and expressed to others that Smith would kill her if they broke up.<\/p>\n
Smith also denied the domestic violence, court records show.<\/p>\n
Detectives said they also learned she told three people that Smith held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.<\/p>\n
According to officers, Smith was identified as a person of interest then, but it wasn’t until cold case investigators secured new evidence tying him to the case. Right now, police have not said what that evidence is.<\/p>\n
On March 6, documents show Smith was accused of applying pressure to Caldwell’s neck.<\/p>\n
Smith did appear in court Monday for his arraignment hearing. The judge set his bond at $100,000.<\/p>\n
His court appointed public defender said he had no comment.<\/p>\n
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