On Friday, Sherwayne Bascom pleaded guilty to a slate of serious charges, including second-degree murder, in the death of Adrian Terrell Smith. Bascom also pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Bascom was sentenced to serve between 19 and 24 years in prison for the offenses.
"Investigating and prosecuting this case was a team effort by law enforcement," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "This sentence was serious and reflects the grave nature of the offense. My office will continue to work with our partners to keep people safe throughout North Carolina."
Details of the Case
The conviction stems from an incident in April 2020, when the Asheville Police Department (APD) investigated the fatal shooting of Adrian Terrell Smith at Pisgah View Apartments.
Following the investigation, law enforcement, in coordination with the United States Marshal Service and local authorities in Connecticut, successfully apprehended and charged Bascom in June 2020.
The case was initially referred to the Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section by District Attorney Todd Williams. The successful prosecution by the Attorney General’s office brings closure to a long-running case that involved extensive multi-jurisdictional cooperation.
WNCTimes