PORTLAND, Ore. — The man accused of shooting and killing a woman during a drum circle event at Portland's Eastbank Esplanade back in 2022 was convicted Friday in a Multnomah County court.
A jury found Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, guilty of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon for the May 8, 2022 killing of Ash Smith.
According to prosecutors, the drum circle event was wrapping up around 11:30 that night and people were already starting to disperse when multiple witnesses heard "a loud bang." They then saw Smith fall to the ground.
Several witnesses were able to provide a description of the shooter when officers arrived at the scene, and police found Belcher nearby, walking across the Hawthorne Bridge. They found a .40 caliber Glock 23 tucked into his waistband.
"Ash Smith wa