‘Difficult patient’ gets life in prison for murdering two dentists over denture dispute
A “difficult patient” has been sentenced to life behind bars after pleading guilty to killing two dentists over a dispute about dentures.
Steven Alexander Smith, of Tyler, Texas, pleaded guilty Monday to capital murder in the shooting deaths of Dr. Jack Burroughs Jr., 75, and Dr. Blake Sinclair, 59, at Affordable Dentures on March 16, 2022,.
After entering the plea, he accepted an automatic sentence of life without parole, according to Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putman.
The DA’s office filed a motion in November saying it would not seek the death penalty.
“The victims have waited a long time for this day. The defendant pled to capital murder, and he will never be released from prison,” Putman said, .
“We are thankful for the hard work of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors Noah Coltman and Zach Gilmore,” he added.
On the day of the shooting, Burroughs told Smith the would no longer be a patient because of the problems he was causing at the clinic, according to CBS 19.
Smith got upset, tried to take his dentures and shoved Burroughs to the ground, the outlet reported, citing the arrest affidavit.
The patient left the building and returned, walking toward the front door and forced it open while Burroughs was trying to lock it, according to the document.
Sinclair grabbed Smith from behind and the two men began to fight.
A nurse saw Smith pull out a handgun and shoot about five times at the two dentists, who were later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The nurse told investigators that Smith pointed his gun at her before leaving in his vehicle.
A deputy later found him pulling into the driveway of his home in the south part of Tyler.
The nurse told police that Smith had “always been a difficult patient” and “was not happy” with how the staff was performing its work, Law & Crime reported, citing the affidavit.
Smith’s jury trial was set to get underway Monday when he entered the plea.