Hempfield man sent to prison for murdering girlfriend in 2017 after night of drinking

A Hempfield man who originally told police his live-in girlfriend killed herself will serve up to 30 years in prison for her murder.

Allen Eugene Trent, 56, on Thursday pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of third-degree murder for the Feb. 12, 2017, shooting death of Frances Smith, 61, in the couple’s Waycross Road home.

“I think it is the right thing to do so it does not need to be able to be brought up again for (Smith’s) family,” Trent said in explaining why he agreed to plead guilty. “It breaks my heart. I know how mad the family is and I want everything they want and more. She loved you very much and to say I’m sorry just doesn’t have enough about how very sorry I am.”

Trent was charged with first-degree murder for Smith’s death and would have been subjected to a mandatory life prison sentence, if convicted of that offense. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rita Hathaway ordered Trent serve 15-to-30 years in prison as part of a plea bargain negotiated with county prosecutors.

“I believe you are truly remorseful. As I sit here and wonder if you didn’t have this addiction to alcohol if this wouldn’t have happened,” Hathaway said.

Police said Smith, the youngest of 11 children, was shot in the head after she and Trent returned home from a night out drinking in local bars. Trent, in a confession to police, claimed he and Smith fought and that he retrieved a revolver from the living room and carried the weapon to the bedroom, where it discharged when Smith grabbed his arm.

Police said Trent, when he greeted officers at the front door after reporting the shooting, said Smith committed suicide. After eight hours of questioning, he admitted to the murder, police said.

Smith’s siblings in written statements and in-person testimony on Thursday told the judge said they begrudgingly agreed to the terms of Trent’s plea bargain but would have preferred he serve a longer prison sentence.

“We hope you send this case to trial and have a jury hear this case, to judge this and to see what his fate will be,” Smith’s brother, Raymond Smith Sr.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar said Frances Smith’s siblings agreed to endorse the plea bargain to attain some closure in her violent death.

“They know this isn’t enough, but they agreed to move forward,” Lazar said.