Jason Smith,of Crescent Drive in Levittown was arrested today, Jan 24 and charged with the murder of Melissa Ketunuti , a pediatrician who was found strangled and burned in her center city house, this past weekend. Philadelphia police had no leads in the case.
Then they matched up phone records with security video of people that she called, versus when that person was in the area. They observed Smith on the 1700 block of Naudain street, which is where the doctor lived.
Smith is said to have confessed to the crime. He told police that he was there to exterminate a pest problem when Ketunuti is alleged to have insulted him. The two argued and Smith claims he "just snapped". He strangled her in the basement, and lit some rags on fire to burn her body and other parts of the house. He wanted it to look like a fire.
Smith then told police he went to his next job after killing Ketunuti. Her family is in route to Philadelphia from Thailand.
Smith is alleged to have left a bloodied sweatshirt behind, which police are checking for DNA,. He was arrested at his Levittown house after police got a search warrant. He tried to sic a dog on police which resulted in the dog being shot.
Smith was a quiet person with no criminal record. He is being charged with murder and related offenses. He is being held without bail.
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