Man Admits to Strangling Ex-Girlfriend’s 2-Year-Old Daughter with Phone Charger

A man has confessed to the horrific crime of kidnapping and murdering his ex-girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter with a pink cellphone charger.

Rashad Maleek Trice, 27, confessed to the charges in the 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Ingham County. 

He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree criminal sexual conduct for the 2023 killing of 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith and the brutal assault on her mother.

Trice is now looking at a mandatory life sentence. 

His official sentencing is set for August 16. 

“The scars left by Mr. Trice’s horrific and brutal crime spree will forever etch themselves on the lives he shattered,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a statement. 

“While nothing can ever fully heal the grief of Wynter’s family and loved ones, I hope today’s plea can be a step toward healing.”

Because the crimes spread across multiple counties, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office took over the case instead of the county prosecutors. 

“By consolidating the prosecution and securing a life sentence through plea, we have ensured the safety of the community while protecting surviving victims from the trauma of a lengthy trial,” Nessel added.

Earlier, in March, Trice had also pleaded guilty to federal charges connected to the same crimes. 

His sentencing for those charges is scheduled for July 19.

According to the federal criminal complaint, the night of July 2, 2023, was marked by violence. 

Trice’s ex-girlfriend called the Lansing Police Department at around 11:19 p.m. 

She reported that after an altercation where she stabbed Trice in self-defense, he retaliated by stabbing her multiple times and then sexually assaulting her. 

She managed to escape the apartment, leaving behind Wynter and a 1-year-old boy. 

When the police arrived, they found the 1-year-old but Wynter was missing.

Investigations revealed that Trice had stolen the ex-girlfriend’s mother’s 2013 Chevrolet Impala. 

An Amber Alert was issued, featuring Wynter’s picture and a description of the vehicle. 

At around 4:50 a.m. on July 3, a police officer in St. Clair Shores, a suburb of Detroit about 90 miles east of Lansing, spotted the Impala. 

Trice fled but crashed into another police car after a short chase.

Evidence from the vehicle included a significant amount of blood consistent with Trice’s stab wounds and parts of a pink charging cord. 

However, there was no sign of Wynter, triggering a frantic search.

In body camera footage from the arrest, Trice denied taking Wynter, claiming she was last seen with her mother. FBI agents used cell site data to trace Trice’s movements post-kidnapping. 

On July 5, just before 7 p.m., Wynter’s body was found in an alley near Coleman A. Young International Airport. 

The cause of death was identified as strangulation with a pink cellphone charging cord, matching the cord fragments found in the Impala.

During an FBI interview, Trice mentioned an argument over money with his ex that escalated into violence. 

He allegedly remarked, “I am already a monster.” 

Police body camera footage captured Trice telling an officer, “I’ll probably do the rest of my life in prison.” 

Now, that grim prediction has become a reality.

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