Two men sentenced to life and 17 years for murder of Western Australian grandfather Raymond Smith

Raymond Smith, a 68-year-old antiques collector and grandfather living alone in Greenbushes, approximately 240 kilometres south of Perth, was fatally assaulted in his home in December 2023 by three men who had planned to steal cannabis and valuables from him. Kevin Potter, a friend of Smith's who betrayed his trust by posing as a lone friendly visitor to gain entry, had previously pleaded guilty to murder and received a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years. Hunt and May entered through the back door wearing disguises; Hunt dragged Smith by his hair to the bathroom, bound his hands and face with cling wrap, stomped on his torso with severe force, and stabbed him with a texta, while May struck him with a baseball bat and stomped on his chest or neck. The men then ransacked the home, attempted to use Smith's bank card at takeaway outlets over the following days, and later moved his body, which was not discovered by homicide detectives until nearly a month after he went missing. Crime scene photographs showed the interior of Smith's home in a heavily ransacked state, consistent with the burglary described in court. Justice Forrester found both men showed no remorse and had acted solely to avoid responsibility, while Smith's daughter Bronwyn delivered an emotional victim impact statement describing her father as a loving parent and grandfather whose greatest fear had been dying alone.