by KYW's Michelle Durham
A jury in Media, Pa. has found a Delaware County man guilty of drugging, assaulting, and strangling a 23-year-old co-worker who rebuffed his sexual advances.
It took a jury less then a day to find 43-year-old William Smithson guilty of first degree murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempted rape, kidnapping, unauthorized administration of an intoxicating substance, and other charges.
The body of 23-year-old Jason Shepard, a North Dakota native who was interning in Delaware County for the same company where Smithson worked, was found in Smithson's basement back in September of 2006.
The defense contended there was another man present in Smithson's home who played a role in Shepard's death on the night of the murder. That man, Fen Bruce Covington, faces charges of lying to authorities and drug offenses.
Smithson could face the death penalty; the jury will return Monday to decide his fate.
The Delaware County prosecutor's office would not comment on the case, and a call to Smithson's defense attorney was not returned.
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