Trial set for brothers in 2019 murder of Vaca woman – The Vacaville Reporter

A Solano County Superior Court judge on Monday postponed until February the jury trial of one of the two brothers charged in the 2019 murder of a Vacaville woman and the other connected to the crime.

Marcus James Smith and Kevin Michael Smith appeared for arraignment in Division 11 and Judge William J. Pendergast ordered them to appear for arraignment at the Justice Center in Fairfield on February 25 at 9:30 a.m.

The judge also scheduled some pretrial matters for the brothers, including a confirmation of trial on January 6 at 8:30 a.m. and a trial management conference on February 13 at 8:30 a.m.

Criminal defense attorney Thomas M. Maas of Fairfield is representing the elder Smith, who is 47. Assistant Public Defender Jeannette Garcia is representing the younger brother, who is 31. Assistant District Attorney Amanda Hopper is prosecuting.

The Smith brothers' latest court date comes after a jury trial previously scheduled for August and a preliminary hearing in May 2023 where evidence and testimony will be presented in what investigators say is a domestic violence case.

According to court records, Marcus Smith was presented with a so-called “1368 doctor's report” in July 2021 regarding his mental competence – his ability to defend himself. The now-retired Judge E. Bradley Nelson, who was hearing the case at the time, vacated the hearing for unknown reasons and rescheduled it for July 14, 2021. On July 21, the judge ordered another psychiatric evaluation and heard the doctor's report on August 24. The next day, the criminal case against Smith resumed.

The public prosecutor's office filed a formal criminal complaint on April 16, 2019.

According to court documents, Marcus Smith killed 50-year-old Ronelyn Egipto in Vacaville in the early morning hours of April 13. He and his younger brother were arrested the same day – the older Smith on suspicion of murder, his brother on accessory after the fact. Both were later taken to the Solano County Jail.

Shortly thereafter, Kevin Smith posted $25,000 bail and was released from custody. The elder Smith, however, remains in custody without bail at the Stanton Correctional Facility in Fairfield.

According to court documents, the events unfolded around 2:30 a.m. when Vacaville police responded to reports of a domestic dispute on Peregrine Way.

Egipto was found dead by police in the apartment and two men, later identified as the Smith brothers, were taken into custody, officials said.

Investigators believe Egipto and the older Smith brother had a romantic relationship, now-retired Lt. Mark Donaldson told the reporter after the Smiths' arrest.

The details that led to the violence are unclear, although Donaldson said Egipto died “from blunt force trauma to his entire body.”

Donaldson explained Kevin Smith's accusation, saying the younger brother received a call from his brother and arrived home. Investigators do not believe he was involved in the murder, but helped his older brother by allegedly “cleaning up” evidence.

If Marcus Smith is found guilty of first-degree murder at trial, he faces 25 years to life in state prison. His younger brother, if found guilty of aiding and abetting, faces only one year in prison.