Former Virginia Tech player acquitted in 2021 beating death

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va (AP) — Jurors have acquitted a former Virginia Tech football player who had been accused of fatally beating a man he says he initially believed from a Tinder match to be a woman. News outlets report former player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of second-degree murder after the jury deliberated for several hours Friday. Prosecutors told jurors in closing arguments that Etute became enraged and fatally beat Jerry Smith upon learning his Tinder match was a man. On Thursday, Etute testified Smith reached for what Etute thought was a gun. Smith did not own a gun, but police said they had found a knife between the man’s mattress and box spring.