FINNEY COUNTY —A woman accused in the death of a southwest Kansas man has been extradited to Kansas.
Just after 3p.m. Sunday, 32-year-old Samantha Smith was booked into the Finney County jail in requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree. In the commission of a felony and Aggravated robbery, according to online jail records.
In September 2019, Ernie Ortiz was found shot outside of his family restaurant in Garden City and he later died at the hospital. It is believed Ortiz was shot during a robbery after he closed the business for the night.
On September 6, U.S. Marshals arrested Smith in connection with the homicide in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
In June 2023, the Garden City Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for First-Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery against Smith in connection with the case.
In January, Crime Stoppers in southwest Kansas offered a $21,500 reward for information in the shooting death.