Wynter Cole Smith, a missing two-year-old girl, was found dead in Detroit
Lansing, Michigan police, who have been searching for the young girl since Monday, hold a press conference on July 5. "This is not the outcome we hoped for." (Credit: Lansing Police Department)
The suspect who allegedly kidnapped and killed 2-year-old Wynter Cole Smith after a violent sexual assault with the toddler's mom could face the death penalty.
Rashad Trice, 26, allegedly sexually assaulted his ex late night on July 2, stole her car and abducted the toddler during his getaway, but not before she stabbed Trice in the leg, according to the federal criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.
Trice was arrested the next morning after he crashed his car while fleeing police, but Wynter wasn't in the car, which triggered an Amber Alert and a three-day search that tragically ended in a Detroit alley between Olympia Street and Edgewood Avenue near Erwin Avenue.
Wynter's family, friends and the Lansing community came together to honor her life in vigils, where Wynter's grandma, Sharen Eddings, warned attendees that being bitter will create "these Rashad Trices."
SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED TODDLER WYNTER COLE SMITH ENDS TRAGICALLY IN DETROIT ALLEY
Wynter Cole Smith, 2, was found dead in Detroit on Wednesday, three days after her disappearance during an attack on her mother in Lansing, Michigan (FBI)
"You can be hurt and angry because I am, but you can’t sit there. Because like I said back there, and I said before, that’s how we create these Rashad Trices. We don’t need any more okay?" Eddings said, according to Fox 2 Detroit.
"I say don’t let that monster poison your heart."
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Trice was originally arraigned at the state level on eight felonies Wednesday morning in connection with the alleged assault on Wynter's mom.
On Friday, federal prosecutors took over the criminal case, which typically carry harsher prison sentences and more severe penalties than state charges.
In this case, Trice can get the death penalty if he's convicted of the federal charges of kidnapping a minor and kidnapping resulting in death. At the very least, a conviction comes with a mandatory sentence of 20 years to life.
Wynter Cole Smith, 2, was found dead in Detroit on Wednesday, three days after her disappearance during an attack on her mother in Lansing, Michigan. Her suspected killer, Rashad Trice, reportedly committed the act by strangling her with a cellphone cord. (Lansing Police Department/Facebook)
DETAILS REVEALED IN THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
The FBI searched the car after his arrest and found "a significant amount of blood" from Trice's stab wound, according to the federal criminal complaint.
They also found portions of a pink cell phone charging cord on the floor that investigators believe was the murder weapon.
Parts of the cord were still wrapped around Wynter's neck when law enforcement found her body, the criminal complaint says.
This is the driver's side of the Chevrolet Impala that Rashad Trice allegedly stole from his ex-girlfriend after he allegedly assaulted her in her Lansing, Michigan, home and kidnapped her two-year-old daughter Wynter Cole Smith
The FBI interviewed Trice's uncle and obtained a screenshot of a text message exchange between Trice and his uncle after he allegedly kidnapped Wytner.
UNCLE: "I love u man please"
"I can help u come to me ray"
"It's not you fault the girl is the devil."
Then he tried to video call Trice.
Trice didn't pick up. Instead, he texted his uncle back, "I love y'all but i have to end this s*** man"
This is text exchange that Rashad Trice and his uncle allegedly had after Trice kidnapped Wynter Cole Smith (U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Michigan)
TRICE'S INTERVIEW WITH FBI
Trice allegedly told investigators after being read his Miranda rights that he and his ex argued about money on July 2, which escalated to violence, according to the criminal complaint.
When asked if he was aware of the Amber Alert for Wynter, Trice said he was.
"Trice stated, words to the effect of, ‘I am already a monster.’ Trice also stated that he wanted to kill himself," the complaint says.
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Wynter is not Trice's daughter, and he doesn't have any custodial rights, law enforcement said.
Information from Trice's cell phone showed he traveled from Lansing to Detroit, according to the criminal complaint, which included a map of his alleged path.
Federal investigators mapped out Trice's alleged route based on cell phone pings after he allegedly took Wynter Cole Smith, 2, on July 2 (U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Michigan)
"It is so difficult to imagine the final moments of little Wynter's life … My heart breaks for her family, and all of us mourn with them," U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn N. Ison said.
"Please continue to keep Wynter Cole-Smith’s family in your thoughts in the days and weeks to come," Devin Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, said in a statement on Friday.
Wynter Cole Smith, 2, was found dead in Detroit on Wednesday, three days after her disappearance during an attack on her mother in Lansing, Michigan (Lansing Police Department/Facebook)
Wynter’s family said they're "heartbroken over the loss of our beautiful daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, and big sister."
"Wynter’s brief but bright life was taken from her unnecessarily, and we will grieve her death forever," they said.
Smith's one-year-old son was also in the apartment during the alleged brutal attack but was unharmed. Authorities said that Smith's mom is in stable condition and recovering in an area hospital.
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The family said they've asked Michigan’s Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer "to consider legislation that further ensures that multiple violent offenders remain in jail or prison, as they are tragically a threat to all of us."
Law enforcement is still asking the public to send tips and any potential video evidence to the Lansing Police Department at (517)-483-4600 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
