Machete, blood and zip ties found in Rockford murder suspect's car, documents say
ROCKFORD — Rayshawn Smith, the Rockford man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend last weekend, made his first court appearance Monday on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful restraint.
Judge Tamika Walker ordered Smith to remain held on a $2 million bond, undergo a mental health evaluation and not have any contact with members of Ashley Nicole Hardin's family, including her three minor children.
Smith, 46, is accused of killing Hardin, 38, early Saturday. According to a criminal complaint, Hardin was reported missing after she was last seen by her son next to a white vehicle outside her Rockford home on Cole Avenue.
At around 7:35 a.m., Saturday, Hardin's body was discovered behind Ecolab, a business at 5151 E. Rockton Road in Roscoe, where Smith reportedly works.
"There seemed to be significant injury to her head," the complaint reads.
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The complaint also indicates that a "projectile" was located underneath Hardin's head, and that two live rounds and several unused zip ties were found nearby. But police do not believe a gunshot is what killed her. Count 1 of the complaint—first-degree murder—alleges that Smith "struck Ashley Nicole Hardin extensively on or about the head."
In Counts 2 and 3 — aggravated kidnapping and unlawful restraint — police say Smith brandished a machete and "secretly confined Ashley Nicole Hardin against her will" inside his vehicle.
Police say an Ecolab security camera shows Smith's white Cadillac arrive in the parking lot at 2:56 a.m., and exit at around 3:35 a.m. Smith was arrested after police conducted a traffic stop in the downtown Rockford parking deck at 325 N. Main St. around 11 a.m. Saturday.
A machete, blood, zip ties, Hardin's phone, and her medication were found inside the vehicle, the complaint says. Three milk jugs containing gasoline were found near Hardin's residence. One of the jugs appeared to have been poured on the house, according to the complaint.
In a video posted on Smith's Facebook page Saturday morning, he said he "did what I did" because Hardin was "dealing in deception." He stated that he informed her that he had multiple romantic partners and that he was violent, giving her "every opportunity to walk away."
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"I was up front about it," he said. "I told her about my anger issues. I told her about my felony. I told her about prison. I told her about being controlling, violent — everything."
Court records in a 1995 Winnebago County criminal case show Smith served time in prison for home invasion. He unsuccessfully appealed the conviction in 2001.
It is still not clear where Hardin was killed. Police say she had been in a romantic relationship with Smith, although they were not living together. The complaint indicates Smith lives in the 2000 block of Loomis Avenue in Rockford.
Smith is due back in court at 9 a.m., Aug. 31, in Courtroom B at the Winnebago County Justice Center.
Jim Hagerty covers general news, schools and courts. Contact him at 815-987-1345 or jhagerty@rrstar.com. Twitter: @jimhagerty Facebook: /hagertyjim
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Documents: Machete, zip ties found in Illinois murder suspect's car
