Report: Suspended Virginia Tech LB Isi Etute indicted on second-degree murder charge

The college football community was shocked to learn in early June that Virginia Tech Hokies freshman linebacker Isi Etute had been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. 

According to Mike Gangloff of The Roanoke Times, Etute was indicted by a grand jury on a second-degree murder charge on Tuesday. Etute next has a hearing scheduled for Nov. 18.

Etute was arrested June 2 for the alleged killing of 40-year-old Jerry Paul Smith after the two matched on Tinder and engaged in a sexual encounter. However, Etute later said he believed he had matched with a woman, not a man, and the 18-year-old is accused of returning to Smith’s apartment and, ultimately, attacking the victim. 

Per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Etute was released on a $75,000 secured bond shortly after his arrest and has been ordered to live with his family in Virginia Beach as he's monitored electronically. Virginia Tech suspended him from the team and as a student.  

"In the case of a felony arrest, the university has the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension," the school said on June 2. 

"In addition, Etute, a member of the football team, has been suspended from the team, effective immediately.

"Blacksburg Police continues to lead this ongoing investigation, and the university will assist law enforcement agencies working the case in any way it can."