Cardell Hayes Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murder of Former Ohio State Defensive End Will Smith

By 11W Staff on April 20, 2017 at 4:35 pm
Man convicted of killing former New Orleans Saints and Ohio State defensive end Will Smith sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
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The New Orleans man convicted of manslaughter in the death of former Ohio State and New Orleans defensive end Will Smith received word of his jail sentence on Thursday.

Cardell Hayes is set to spend the next 25 years of his life in prison.

Hayes received an additional 15 years for shooting Smith's wife, Racquel, on the same night the former Buckeye was killed. Those 15 years are set to be served concurrently, according to the Associated Press.

A jury of the New Orleans Parish Criminal District Court found Hayes guilty of manslaughter on Dec. 11. Originally, Hayes was set to be sentenced on Feb. 17. The road rage incident that resulted in the fatal shooting of the 34-year-old Smith occurred during the final hours of April 9, 2016.

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