In a somber turn of events, Rashad Maleek Trice has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith, as announced by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The sentencing, which took place today in Ingham County’s 30th Judicial Circuit Court, also includes a concurrent 60 to 90 years for the assault of Wynter’s mother, to which Trice pleaded guilty in July. This guilty plea saved the family the ordeal of a trial. According to WWJ Newsradio 950, Trice's crimes began with an argument over money, leading to the stabbing and sexual assault of the toddler's mother and the abduction of Wynter in a stolen Chevy Impala.
Wynter's body was ultimately discovered near Coleman A. Young International Airport in downtown Detroit after a three-day search effectively mobilized multiple law enforcement agencies, from Lansing to Detroit, as well as the FBI. The Michigan Department of Attorney General, in their statement, highlighted that an Amber Alert had been issued for Wynter, which led to a cross-county endeavor to locate the missing child before Trice was arrested. “Nothing can bring Wynter back, but I hope knowing that Mr. Trice will spend the rest of his life behind bars, without the need for a lengthy trial, offers some solace to her loved ones,” Nessel said as reported by the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
The coordination between various prosecutorial offices including those of Ingham, Wayne, and Macomb counties, was instrumental in consolidating the 20 counts against Trice. This collaborative endeavor streamlined the legal process and spared all involved from the potential complexities of a multi-jurisdictional trial. In describing the emotional toll of the case, Attorney General Dana Nessel mentioned to The Detrot News, "The scars left by Mr. Trice’s horrific and brutal crime spree will forever etch themselves on the lives he shattered."
