Amish Teen Linda Stoltzfoos’ Killer Admits to Strangling, Burying Her
Justo Smoker’s guilty plea allows him to avoid the death penalty. Instead, he will serve at least 30 years in prison.
Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office
Justo Smoker, the 35-year-old Pennsylvania man charged with killing an Amish teen last year, pleaded guilty Friday to third-degree murder and four new charges. Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, was kidnapped on her way home from church. Smoker has admitted to strangling her with his arm and shoelaces before fatally stabbing her in the neck. He buried her body but on Friday admitted that he moved it two days after news broke of her death because he realized she was buried close to her home. Prosecutors revealed Friday that Stoltzfoos suffered vaginal injuries, but Smoker denied sexually assaulting her.
As part of his plea, Smoker avoided the death penalty, but he will face at least 50 years in prison. That includes a minimum of 35.5 years for Stoltzfoos’ death that will only begin once he has done 17 years for violating parole following a string of armed robberies.
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