Friend testifies on her concern for Smith

Kim Smith

Thursday, July 12, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

Alice Wilsey was so concerned about the welfare of her friend, Christine Smith, that she jotted down her suspicions and contacted police.

When she was told detectives don't work on Saturdays, Wilsey convinced herself she was over-reacting and tried to stop worrying.

Smith's remains were found 26 months later in a trash can, which was tucked into the corner of a storage unit.

Wilsey took the stand Wednesday afternoon on the fourth day of the trial of Brookey West, Smith's daughter, who is accused of killing her mother.Smith's remains were found in February, three years after she was last seen by Wilsey.

Wilsey said she met the frail and and forgetful Smith in February 1997, one year to the month before prosecutors say she probably died. The two lived in the same apartment complex, and she said she would often act as Smith's chauffeur or help her use ATM machines.

Wilsey said she met West in the middle of 1997. The younger woman would often visit her mother when on hiatus from her job in California, and the three would sit at a patio table and talk.

She often sensed that West was "out of sorts" with her mother, who tended to nag her, Wilsey said.

One day in February 1998, Wilsey said, West confided that her therapist had told her she needed a break from her mother.

A few days later, Wilsey was surprised to learn that Smith was going to be moving in with her son, Travis, a man she had always heard was a homeless alcoholic and drug addict.

"(Brookey) told me that she could no longer live with her mother, and she had found a way to make a place for her mother so she wouldn't be bothered anymore," Wilsey said.

Wilsey said she was further surprised because Smith didn't appear to be well enough to make the trip to California, and nothing had been packed for the trip, which was scheduled the next day.

When she saw West two days later, Smith was gone and West was discarding everything in her mother's pantry and refrigerator, Wilsey said.

It occurred to her that West was back much too soon from such a long trip, Wilsey said.

"I didn't think she went," Wilsey said.

Wilsey said she asked West if it was wise to discard all of the food because her mother might want to come home soon.

"She said, 'Chris isn't coming home because I threatened to put her in a home if she does come back,' " Wilsey quoted West.

Wilsey said she went to the police in November 1998 because she felt something wasn't right. Smith never called or wrote her, but West kept insisting her mother was doing well.

Her fears increased in November 2000 when West, without prompting, blurted out, "My mother's alive, and she's living in Bakersfield, Calif.," Wilsey said.

She thought perhaps West had heard of her concerns about Smith's well-being, Wilsey said. She added that she feared for own safety.

Jurors and courtroom observers on Wednesday also heard an enthusiastic lecture from forensic entomologist Neal Haskell. The Indiana bug expert provided a lesson on the life cycle and the behavior of flies, which was humorous one moment and sickening the next.

Judging from the types of maggots found on Smith's body, Haskell testified he believes Smith's body could have been placed inside the trash can anywhere from moments before her death to up to eight hours after she died.

Although Haskell's testimony didn't appear to garner points for either side, both insist his testimony would become crucial later in the trial, which is being heard by District Judge Donald Mosley and is expected to wrap up early next week.