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A teenage footballer charged with murder told police he beat a man to death – breaking every bone in his face – for catfishing him on Tinder, a court heard.<\/p>\n
Isimemen David Etute, 18, was arrested after police found 40-year-old Jerry Smith's badly battered body in his apartment in Blacksburg, Virginia.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said the Virginia Tech linebacker told investigators that he had first gone to the apartment for oral sex in April after matching with a woman called "Angie" on the dating app.<\/p>\n
Etute told police that he returned to the apartment on May 31 for another meet-up and discovered the person he had matched up with this time was male, said Assistant Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Jason Morgan.<\/p>\n
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The defendant told investigators he punched Smith five times in the face and \u201cstomped\u201d on him, the Roanoke Times reported. <\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t call police despite hearing \u201cbubbling and gurgling\u201d from the victim as he left the apartment, it was claimed.<\/p>\n
Cops found Smith's body a day later and an autopsy revealed the restaurant worker died from blunt force trauma to the head.<\/p>\n
All of the bones in his face were broken and his teeth were also missing, the Roanoke Times reported.<\/p>\n
Etute was charged with second-degree murder after he was arrested on June 2.<\/p>\n
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His attorney, Jimmy Turk, told a judge the case was \u201cmore than someone just showing up to an apartment and punching someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turk later addressed reporters outside of court on Wednesday and said: \u201cNobody deserves to die, but I don\u2019t mind saying, don\u2019t pretend you are something that you are not.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t target or lure anyone under that perception. That\u2019s just wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
The linebacker\u2019s parents and sister attended the bond hearing on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
They were reportedly joined by a dozen Virginia Tech football players, most of whom were wearing team gear.<\/p>\n
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Turk asked Etute, who was clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, how he had been affected by the charges during the hearing.<\/p>\n
The defendant reportedly answered: \u201cReal hard. I\u2019m trying to stay strong for the people that support me, I feel like I\u2019ve let a lot of people down \u2026 I\u2019m truly sorry for my actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Etute was ordered released on $75,000 secured bond under conditions of house arrest and electronic monitoring, the Roanoke Times reported, citing Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Mary Pettitt.<\/p>\n
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Want all the latest shocking news and views from all over the world straight into your inbox?<\/strong><\/p>\n We've got the best royal scoops, crime dramas and breaking stories – all delivered in that Daily Star style you love.<\/strong><\/p>\n Our great newsletters will give you all you need to know, from hard news to that bit of glamour you need every day. They'll drop straight into your inbox and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.<\/strong><\/p>\n You can sign up here – you won't regret it…<\/strong><\/p>\n Etute, who will stay with his parents in Virginia Beach, is due back in court on September 23, WJZY reported. <\/p>\n The linebacker\u2019s team profile was not active Thursday. He was suspended from the squad last week. <\/p>\n Relatives of Smith, meanwhile, reportedly declined to comment after the hearing.<\/p>\n