Woman Charged With Wilson Grandmother's Death

In January, Carrie Smith, 76, was robbed and assaulted in her home on Hillside Avenue in Wilson and suffered a heart attack soon after.

She died two months later. In October, coroner Zachary Lysek said Smith's death was caused by exacerbation of those heart problems and ruled her death a homicide.

Now, Smith's granddaugther and another man are being charged with her death. 

The Northampton County District Attorney's office has charged Smith's 28-year-old granddaughter, Rebecca Johnson, and Johnson's boyfriend, Rogel Suero, with criminal homicide, according to Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen.

Suero is still at large, Mulqueen said, as is another man whom police have yet to identify. 

She said that although the coroner just made his ruling last month, it became apparent early on that Smith's death would be a homicide case. 

Another man, David Bechtold, participated in the robbery but is cooperating with investgiators and has not been charged with homicide, the Express-Times says.

Smith's death is the second homicide in the borough in as many years. Last year, Easton resident Jose Santiago was killed in a hit-and-run crash on the 1600 block of Northampton Street. 

Kelly Marazas, a Wilson resident, plead guilty to homicide by vehicle while drunk, aggravated assault by vehicle, driving while under the influence, and other offenses in connection with the crash.