Morrisville Man Ordered to Stand Trial for Strangulating Woman to Death in Falls Hotel

A  Morrisville man charged with killing his girlfriend two months ago in a Falls Township motel was ordered to stand trial during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

Evan Marquis Smith, 37, appeared via video before Magisterial District Judge Jan Vislosky who heard testimony from two Falls Township law enforcement officers about the killing of 39-year-old Jamie Beighley.

The victim was found brutally assaulted in the New Falls Motel on July 1 and died from her injuries three days later.

District Judge Vislosky ruled enough evidence was presented at the hearing to send all charges against Smith to the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

His next court date was scheduled for Oct. 8. Smith faces charges of Homicide, Aggravated Assault, Strangulation, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Simple Assault, and Fleeing and Eluding.

He remains in Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail.

Falls Township Officer Alexander Sansone testified he was among the first officers dispatched to a domestic disturbance at the New Falls Motel, 201 Lincoln Highway, on the night of July 1.   Beighley was found lying on the floor of the motel room without a pulse when first responders arrived. Blood was on the victim’s head, face and hands, and a pool of blood was on the bed.

Sansone testified Smith was also in the motel room, but at some point, he became uncooperative and fled the scene.

According to a criminal complaint, officers pursued Smith for a short time before terminating the pursuit in the interest of public safety. He was arrested a short time later in Morrisville.

Beighley was taken to the hospital and medical reports indicated her injuries were consistent with strangulation. She also suffered head trauma and a possible brain bleed. She was pronounced dead on July 4.

Falls Township Police Detective Dennis O’Connell testified Wednesday about the results of the autopsy, which concluded that the cause of death was manual strangulation. He also testified that during a police interview, Smith demonstrated to him how he used his hands to choke Beighley on the bed.

This case was investigated by the Bucks County Detectives and the Falls Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Mary Kate Kohler.