Man admits to killing girlfriend and dumping body in Lewisville; he searched the Internet for guidance

Desmond Laquan Pendergrass, 26, of High Point pleaded guilty in Guilford County Superior Court to killing 26-year-old Cree Asia Smith around June 16, 2016.

Superior Court Judge David Long sentenced Pendergrass to life in prison. As part of a plea deal with the state, Long also dismissed 10 other pending charges against him. 

Family members of both Smith and Pendergrass were in the courtroom Monday afternoon. Pendergrass' mother could be heard crying while Howard Neumann, Guilford County's chief assistant district attorney, interviewed Greensboro police Det. Mike Matthews about Smith's death.

Smith's mother shook her head while attorneys for Pendergrass talked about his character. 

"You have a mom who loves you," Long told Pendergrass. "That much is clear. But there is another mother here who loved her daughter."

Smith's family lived in New Jersey and initially reported her missing to authorities there in mid-July 2016. New Jersey investigators notified Greensboro police when they learned that Smith resided here at an apartment she shared with her boyfriend. 

Matthews testified that investigators began suspecting Pendergrass after interviewing Smith's best friend — the last person to see her alive. She had left Smith's apartment after witnessing the couple fighting over Pendergrass using Smith's vehicle. 

That night, the friend received a message from Smith's Facebook account telling her she left for New Jersey because of an emergency involving her daughter, Matthews testified. 

Soon after, Facebook posts on Smith's account began detailing a trip to Miami, complete with photos. Those photos, Matthews said, could be found by searching the Internet. 

Officers charged Pendergrass in July 2016 in an unrelated matter and learned he had driven Smith's vehicle to turn himself in. After getting a search warrant, police discovered that the lining of the trunk was missing and parts of the vehicle tested positive for blood. 

Investigators also searched the couple's apartment and found more blood and a shower curtain missing. 

A search of Pendergrass' cell phone yielded search terms around the date of Smith's disappearance that included: "If you're stabbed in the temple, would you die instantly;" "16 steps to kill someone and not get caught;" "25 methods to kill with your bare hands;" and other searches about rape kits and avoiding prosecution.

Matthews testified that his phone also contained searches for apartments in Miami. Wells Fargo was asked to change Smith's address to one of those apartments.

Bank surveillance showed Pendergrass using Smith's ATM card after she disappeared. 

According to Matthews, investigators also learned that Pendergrass drove to a Lowe's home improvement store and purchased large, heavy-duty trash bags, duct tape and a handsaw. 

What police had trouble discerning was what happened to Smith. 

Pendergrass initially denied being involved in her death. He later told police that Smith committed suicide. He panicked and hired people from "the dark web" to dispose of her body. 

Eventually, he admitted to the killing and said he dumped her body along U.S. 52 heading north. When he took police to find it, they drove all the way to Virginia before turning around. 

On Sept. 16, 2016, Pendergrass led authorities on another search — this time, on U.S. 421 — yielding nothing. 

Ultimately, using location data provided by Google, police headed north to the Lewisville exit on U.S. 421, where they found black garbage bags down a hill off the highway. Inside, were decomposed human remains. Remains that turned out to be Smith. 

Medical examiners weren't able to determine how Smith was killed, but could confirm her body had been cut with the type of handsaw Pendergrass had bought from Lowe's.

Pendergrass told Long on Monday he has a history of mental health problems. His attorneys requested Long order an evaluation. 

Before Pendergrass was led from the courtroom Long had this to say: "I hope you find redemption," Long said. "And for their benefit, not yours, I hope that they forgive you and if you need to forgive yourself, that you do."