LANSING, Mich. — The man found guilty of kidnapping and killing 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith after attacking her mother has been sentenced.
Rashad Maleek Trice, 27, of Lansing, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was also given a concurrent sentence of 60 to 90 years for the assault and stabbing of Wynter's mother.
Back on July 2, 2023, authorities said Trice had gotten into an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, Wynter's mother, which ended in him stabbing her. He then kidnapped Wynter.
He ultimately killed Wynter and attempted to resist arrest.
After he was taken into custody, Wynter was nowhere to be found. Search crews spanned I-96, a major highway between Lansing and Detroit, looking for her.
A state-wide Amber Alert was sent, and a $25,000 reward was offered for information on her disappearance. Law enforcement went canvassing door-to-door, used drones, flew helicopters with heat-sensing technologies and deployed dive teams to no avail.
After a three-day search, Wynter was found in an alley in Detroit.
Trice was charged with 20 counts in connection to the incident. He pleaded guilty in July to one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
“Nothing can bring Wynter back, but I hope knowing that Mr. Trice will spend the rest of his life behind bars, without the need for a lengthy trial, offers some solace to her loved ones,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement and prosecutors in my office, the man responsible for these horrific acts will never again endanger our communities.”
