March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE
On March 26, 2026, an Escambia County Grand Jury indicted Jalynda Karie Smith on the charges of First Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence.
The indictment stems from the death of Smith’s child. On February 6, 2026, his body was found in a trash bag along the waterline of the bay off of Lillian Highway.
The Defendant’s docket day is scheduled for May 19, 2026, and she is currently incarcerated in Escambia County Jail with no bond.
The investigation is being handled by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Erin Ambrose is prosecuting this case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit.
