Aryan Smith

Aryan Vito Smith was arrested on May 11, 2020 and charged in the February 5, 2018 murder of 22-year-old Treeanna Nichols in Westminster, California.

Nichols was staying at the Quality Inn in Westminster when she was killed in her room. At around 3:00 pm, video surveillance footage shows a man in a hoodie walking up the stairs, and then leaving soon after. He was seen vaping a substance.

Nichols’s body was found a short time later during a welfare check. She had been stabbed multiple times.

The FGG investigation was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs. The case received an important break in April of 2020, when a distant relative of Smith uploaded their DNA to GEDmatch. A search warrant was issued to obtain Smith’s DNA.

Smith is charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon. The case against him is pending in Orange County Superior Court.

Sources:

Fausto, Alma. “Man Charged in 2018 Death of Pasadena Woman Who Was Found Stabbed in Westminster Motel.” Orange County Register, May 11, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://www.ocregister.com/2020/05/11/man-charged-in-2018-death-of-pasadena-woman-who-was-found-stabbed-in-westminster-motel/.

Peralta, Jessica. “Westminster Police Department Releases Suspect Photos and Video in Connection with Feb. 5 Hotel Homicide, Seeks Information.” Behind the Badge, March 15, 2018. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://behindthebadge.com/wpd-releases-suspect-photos-video-connection-feb-5-hotel-homicide-seeks-information-public/?fbclid=IwAR1PX28tO2kcw1FBF7WER2AA-zNK4qU9tG7GMRzChJPkTH3pjAVvfuTJ7Zg#:~:text=The%20officers%20found%20Nichols%20dead,was%20murdered%20February%205%2C%202018.

Zint, Bradley. “Westminster Police Make Arrest in 2018 Murder Case Thanks to First-Ever Use of DNA Company.” Behind the Badge, November 11, 2020. Accessed December 27, 2020. https://behindthebadge.com/westminster-police-make-arrest-in-2018-murder-case-thanks-to-first-ever-use-of-dna-company/.

 

Individual

First Name Aryan
Last Name Smith
Other Names
Victims 1 (Details)
IGG Started nd
Case Cleared 2020-05-11
IGG Org Parabon

Victims

Case ID Name Age Case Opened Location Investigating Org Most Serious Charge Disposition Court
1362 Treeanna Nichols 22 2018-02-05 Westminster, CA Westminster PD Second degree murder Case is currently pending before the court Orange CO SUP CT

Last updated: February 9, 2024

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Case data and narrative licensed under CC BY 4.0: Dowdeswell, Tracey (2023), “Forensic Genetic Genealogy Project v. 2022”, Mendeley Data, V1, doi: 10.17632/jcycgvhm96.1. All other content, including photos, have been added.