A killer-for-hire is now a convicted liar-for-hire.
Confessed hit man Vincent Smothers, who is serving up to 100 years in prison for a string of contract murders, had more time added to his incarceration following recent convictions for lying to a court and possessing a contraband cellphone, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office.
In 2018, Smothers provided an affidavit to the Macomb County Circuit Court in which he lied about two shooting victims to help bolster another inmate’s claim that he’d shot the men in self-defense, Nessel said in a press release. The contraband cellphone, discovered in Smothers’ cell in May, uncovered the scheme, in which Smothers was paid to lie, Nessel said.
Smothers, 45, was sentenced Thursday in Muskegon County Circuit Court to 14 months to 58 months in prison for possessing a contraband cell phone. Smothers, an inmate in Freeland’s Saginaw Correctional Facility, was sentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court last month to one to 40 years for providing a false affidavit to a court, an offense that carries up to life in prison.
Smothers will serve the sentences consecutively — after his 50-year to 100-year second-degree murder sentence is completed — the Attorney General’s Office said. The recent sentences push Smothers’ earliest release date up two years to April 18, 2061.
“Providing false evidence undermines the hard work of the many police, prosecutors, judges, and jurors who work tirelessly to hold dangerous people accountable and make our communities safer,” Nessel said in a statement. “This conviction and sentence make clear that those who attempt to obstruct justice will face consequences, and my office will continue to defend the integrity of our criminal justice system with the full weight of the law.”
In 2010, Smothers was sentenced to 50 to 100 years in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of second-degree murder. Smothers said he was paid by Detroit drug dealers to kill their rivals, although he also was contracted to kill Rose Cobb, the wife of Detroit Police Sgt. David Cobb, whom he fatally shot on Dec. 26, 2007, while she sat in her minivan in a CVS drugstore parking lot on East Jefferson.
In 2008, after being charged in connection with his wife’s killing, David Cobb killed himself.
In May, officials at the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon County found a contraband cell phone in Smothers’ cell. The discovery kicked off the Attorney General’s investigation, Nessel said.
When authorities inspected the phone, they found communications between Smothers and Shannon Anderson, an inmate in another prison serving up to 40 years following his 2010 second-degree murder conviction. The text messages laid out a scheme in which Smothers was to be paid to lie about the shooting victims to make the killings appear to have been in self-defense, according to Nessel.
Smothers signed the affidavit in 2018, providing false details about the shooting, according to the attorney general. In February 2020, Anderson’s lawyer filed a motion requesting a new hearing based on new evidence — Smothers’ affidavit, Nessel said.
Anderson also was charged with obstruction of justice in Clinton Township’s 41-B District Court. An April 2 preliminary examination is scheduled before Chief Judge Sebastian Lucido. Shannon’s attorney, Mariell Lehman, did not respond Friday to a phone call requesting comment.
When Nessel discussed the case last year, she said her office was investigating multiple cases in which Smothers was alleged to have lied about for money. Her office did not respond to an emailed request about the status of the other probes.
The crimes Smothers admitted to after his murder conviction included the 2004 killing of drug dealer Jamal Segars, for which Thelonious Searcy was convicted in 2005.
“We know that with Searcy and other cases, our understanding is that (Smothers) would provide information to shed light that wasn’t previously known about a case, even if he didn’t specifically take responsibility for the murder or shooting,” Nessel said during an August press conference.
Smothers appeared in Wayne County Circuit Court on March 19, 2018, claiming he’d killed Segers, whose street name was “Q,” while the victim sat in a traffic jam on Conner near Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport in Detroit.
Searcy’s attorney, Paul Broschay, told The News Friday he plans to call Smothers as a witness during the trial.
The case has been snagged while defense attorneys and prosecutors wrangled over the admissibility of firearm evidence, Broschay said. The Michigan Supreme Court overruled the lower court’s decision to bar the defense from calling expert witnesses to try to discount the strength of the evidence, a scrap of brass that reportedly came from a spent shell casing, Broschay said.
A hearing to discuss the evidence is scheduled for May 11 before Wayne County Circuit Judge Margaret Van Houten.
Searcy was released from prison in 2021 after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled he should be granted a new trial. Although Searcy’s request for a new trial based on Smothers’ claim was denied by former Wayne County Circuit Chief Judge Timothy Kenny, the appellate court ruled Searcy’s attorney had not properly objected to alleged prosecutorial misconduct during a hearing.
Wayne County prosecutors have maintained Searcy’s guilt, although in 2023, the Detroit City Council granted him a Spirit of Detroit award that called him an “Exonerated hero.”
Although Smothers was convicted of eight murders, he confessed to 12 murders-for-hire. Smothers told police he and a partner were paid to kill a drug dealer inside his house on Runyon Street on Detroit’s east side in 2007. Four people were killed in the house, and the shell casings found at the scene were shot from the same AK-47 rifle Smothers had used in other hits.
At the time of Smothers’ confession in 2008, 14-year-old Davontae Sanford had been in prison for a few months, following his conviction on second-degree murder charges in connection with the Runyon Street quadruple homicide. Sanford confessed to the crime, although he claimed he’d been tricked into confessing by police and an attorney who was later disbarred.
Sanford in 2022 settled a federal lawsuit against the city for $7.5 million.
ghunter@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2134
@GeorgeHunter_DN
Detroit’s dining scene just got even more flavorful with the opening of Sunda New Asian, bringing modern Southeast Asian cuisine to the city.
Restaurant owner Billy Dec joins the show to share what guests can expect from the new hotspot, from bold dishes and incredible cocktails to an energetic atmosphere.
Watch the video above to see what’s cooking up at Sunda New Asian.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Detroit Lions podcast includes Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
Nolan and Richard are joined by Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
By this point in the offseason, it’s well documented who the Detroit Lions have added, as well as who they’ve lost.
Former Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays was the prize of free agency. He’ll replace Graham Glasgow in the middle of Detroit’s offensive line. Clemson’s Blake Miller, selected 17th overall in April’s draft, is poised to quickly take over at the tackle spot opposite Penei Sewell, stepping in for Taylor Decker. The pass rush was overhauled across from Aidan Hutchinson, with Ahmed Hassanein and Tyler Lacy being the only other edge defenders still on the roster from last season.
Today, we’ll try to take our analysis a step further, identifying a few patterns within Detroit’s offseason approach and exploring what those acquisitions, retentions and departures mean for a Lions team looking to bounce back and reemerge as a title contender in 2026.
Detroit’s offense had its own share of issues throughout 2025. But what the defense produced down the stretch with the season on the line failed to meet reasonable expectations. Opponents averaged 28.1 points and 382.1 yards per game from Weeks 12-18, a stretch that resulted in four losses. Pinning all of Detroit’s defensive woes on one factor would be foolish (and you can’t ignore the role injuries played), but an inconsistent, at best, pass rush certainly didn’t help. The Lions owned the third-slowest time to pressure (2.86 seconds) in the NFL last season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Aside from the retooling opposite Hutchinson, the Lions also seemingly put an emphasis on acquiring interior defensive linemen who can get after the passer. Levi Onwuzurike is back after his contract tolled last season — Josh Paschal, a run-defending lineman who also had his contract tolled but was released in March, wasn’t afforded the same opportunity — and the Lions spent a couple of late-round draft picks on Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard and Tennessee’s Tyre West. Both players were drafted because of the flashes they’ve shown as pass rushers, particularly Gill-Howard, whose win rate in 2025 (14.4%) ranked 10th out of the 512 FBS interior defenders who rushed the passer on at least 100 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Copying the Super Bowl champions isn’t always wise — every team’s personnel has its own set of skills — but it’s striking how much Detroit’s defense differed from that of the Seattle Seahawks, who rode their defense on the way to winning the franchise’s second title. The Lions led the league in use of base defense (three linebackers) last season, deploying those packages for 657 plays, according to Next Gen Stats. The Seahawks were last, with 66 plays. It was the opposite for use of nickel defense (five defensive backs), with the Seahawks leading the league (815) and the Lions at 32nd (355). Of course, Seattle is unique, given head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive system and nickelback Nick Emmanwori’s immediate impact as a rookie.
The Lions won’t overhaul their entire scheme in one offseason, but it’s difficult to see their moves in totality and not come away thinking they could lean more on nickel packages in 2026. Alex Anzalone, one of the league’s better linebackers against the pass, allowed the Lions to play base defense as much as they did, as he was comfortable in coverage. He’s now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions added a number of viable options to play nickelback next season, including veterans Christian Izien Jr. and Roger McCreary, as well as fifth-round rookie Keith Abney II (Arizona State).
Assuming the starting five, from left to right, winds up being Sewell, Christian Mahogany, Mays, Tate Ratledge and Miller, Detroit’s offensive line will have an average age of 25.2 next season. That’s down from 2025 (27.8) and 2024 (29.8). In no way does the influx of youth indicate surefire success, but the Lions would certainly be set up for sustained success if each of the five projected starters reach their ceilings. The offensive line could be even younger if 2025 fifth-rounder Miles Frazier, who is 11 months younger than Mahogany, wins the starting job at left guard. Juice Scruggs, another contender at left guard, is nine months older than Mahogany. Ben Bartch, 27, is the veteran option.
Whether Mays continues ascending at center will be key to Detroit’s success in 2026. He’s only started 20 games at the position over his four seasons in the NFL, and all of those starts have come within the last two years. He showed week-to-week growth in his 12 starts in 2025, enough for the Lions to commit $25 million ($14 million guaranteed) to him over the next three years. Mays surrendered 13 pressures last season and didn’t allow sack, according to PFF.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
How the PWHL unveiled Detroit’s team amid much fanfare
Chris Ilitch, Mary Sheffield, Jayna Hefford and Amy Scheer talk about the PWHL Detroit team on May 6, 2026.
Josh Sciba comes to the Detroit Professional Women’s Hockey League team with a tremendous recent accolade.
Named to coach the ninth franchise in the PWHL’s history on Thursday, May 28, Sciba joins the team fresh off having served as an assistant coach with the women’s team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Milano Olympics.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to become the coach of PWHL Detroit and beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead the organization from the beginning,” Sciba said in a statement. “This is home and especially meaningful for me and my entire family, knowing Detroit’s rich hockey history and identity firsthand and how much the women’s hockey community has been yearning for this moment.”
The Detroit PWHL team has taken shape over the past month: From being introduced on May 6 in a gala event at Little Caesars Arena (where the team will play starting late November/early December 2026) to naming Manon Rheaume general manager on May 15.
“Josh is a highly respected coach with a knowledge of the game and experience at all levels of women’s hockey that set him apart, and his passion for teaching and individual character are qualities I value in a leader,” Rhéaume said in a release “Hockeytown is in his blood, and this is an opportunity I know he is eager to embrace with an understanding of what it means to represent this city and be part of its legacy.”
Next on the agenda is shaping the roster itself, which will happen at the June 17 expansion draft at Detroit’s Fox Theatre.
Sciba, 41 and a native of Westland, has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the PWHL’s New York Sirens and brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to the role.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
Rescued sea lion pups released in Manhattan Beach
Sunda New Asian brings bold flavors to Detroit
Driver Arrested After Pedestrian Killed, Three Injured In Mission District Crash
McAllen Welcomes Texas Hockey | Dallas Stars
Pair arrested in connection with armed home invasion robbery in Miami, cops say
Saturday storm will bring bursts of rain, strong winds, and… snow?
Von Miller lobbying Broncos to bring him back (here’s the latest update)
Seattle travel alert: Massive road closures, light rail shutdowns this weekend
