Murder case will be tried in Rutherford

Contributed

Daniel Wayne Scott

By Richelle Bailey | The McDowell News

Published: July 5, 2009

A McDowell County slaying suspect won't face a McDowell County jury.
A Superior Court judge recently ruled that the murder case against Daniel Wayne Scott, 43, of Nix Creek Road in Marion will be heard in Rutherford County.
Assistant District Attorney Marie Hartwell said the move is based strictly on handicap accessibility. Scott is wheelchair bound, and the Rutherford courthouse is better equipped for that. In addition, the jail is across from the courthouse.
Scott is accused of killing 38-year-old William Christopher Smith of Nix Creek Church Road during the early morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008.
The two longtime friends were sitting around a campfire in a wooded area off Crisp Drive, when Scott shot Smith in the head with a small-caliber handgun, authorities previously stated.
Little is known about the motive behind the shooting. However, officers stated that alcohol did play a role in the killing.
Hartwell stated last week that Scott's case is scheduled to be heard on Monday, Aug. 3.