A man from Indiana has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of a woman over a watch he had initially sold to her, according to an announcement by West Virginia authorities. Andres Minorune Torres, Jr., 29, was handed the sentence on January 30 by Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Thomas K. Fast. Torres was found guilty in October 2024 of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery in connection with the February 2023 killing of Michelle Ann Smith, 41.
Amanda Soultz, 32, Torres’ accomplice in the crime, pleaded guilty to a count of first-degree murder in December of the previous year. She is scheduled to receive her sentence on February 11. The Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office revealed in a press release that Smith was acquainted with Soultz, who had previously lived in the area.
In January 2023, Soultz and Torres relocated to West Virginia from Indiana. At some point, Torres, in need of money, sold a watch to Smith for $50, with the intention of reclaiming it later. However, Smith attempted to resell the watch on Facebook, which angered Torres. He demanded the return of the watch, but Smith refused.
On February 16, 2023, Torres and Soultz visited Smith’s home on Deepwater Mountain Road, insisting on the return of the watch. Smith informed them that the watch had already been sold. This led to a violent confrontation, during which Smith was attacked, restrained, kidnapped, robbed, shot in the head, and left to die in an abandoned car.
According to the prosecutor’s office, both Soultz and Torres claimed to have had dinner and drinks with Smith on the night of the incident. However, evidence from the crime scene contradicted their claims of a friendly gathering. As the situation escalated, Torres became increasingly angry when Smith insisted that the watch was no longer in her possession.
The couple used a pair of handcuffs found in Smith’s bedroom to restrain her. Torres then physically assaulted Smith, beating her with his fists and pistol-whipping her. After searching Smith’s residence and finding the watch, Torres shot Smith in the head with a .45 caliber firearm.
Smith was discovered, still handcuffed and bleeding from the head, in a car outside her home approximately 12 hours after the attack. Her son found her after several unsuccessful attempts to contact her. Smith was taken to Plateau Medical Center in Oak Hill, where she later succumbed to her injuries. The charges against Torres and Soultz were subsequently upgraded to include murder.
Upon their arrest, Torres and Soultz were found to be in possession of Smith’s credit cards. Torres confessed to the crime, stating that he shot Smith because she had “disrespected” him. Soultz initially claimed that she was forced to participate in the crimes out of fear of Torres. However, further investigation revealed that Soultz had attempted to help Torres evade capture.
Despite their arrest, Soultz and Torres continued their relationship, with jail calls revealing plans for marriage. They also planned for Torres to take full responsibility for the crime in an attempt to secure Soultz’s freedom.