After nearly seven hours of deliberation, attorneys selected 12 jurors and an alternate juror for the trial of the State of Nebraska versus Ronald Smith.

Prosecutor David Partsch took the floor and painted the picture of a family frantically searching for a missing Terri Harris on Christmas day 2008.

"[Ronald Smith] remembered arguing in the bedroom about drinking and drugs and money. He says, 'I do remember a pillow. I held the pillow over her face,'" Partsch read from the police report. "When asked if [Ronald Smith] knew Terri Harris was dead when he left, you'll hear Ronald Smith say he had a very good suspicion."

Court documents said Smith told investigators he had been arguing with Harris. Smith said he pushed 51-year-old Harris to the floor during an argument December 23. He then placed a pillow over her face and held it there.

Meanwhile defense attorney Michael Ziskey said there is no medical proof that Smith suffocated Harris.

Instead Ziskey said Harris died due to living an unhealthy lifestyle which included her being obese, having an enlarged heart, suffering from sleep apnea and smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

"The highly trained and experienced pathologist will look at the evidence and determine that Terri Harris died of natural causes," Ziskey said. "Ronald Smith made some bad choices, in late December 2008. Some may have even violated the law. But perhaps the worst choice he made was admitting to something he was not responsible for."

Smith has been charged with second degree murder, first degree forgery and theft. Partsch said it appeared Harris was suffocated.

Nebraska authorities had been looking for Smith as a person of interest since the body of Harris was found in her Syracuse residence Christmas Day at approximately 6:30 p.m. Investigators suspected that Harris death had occurred prior to December 25, 2008.

According to the State Patrol, neighbors reported seeing Smith at the Harris residence within a day or two before Christmas.

Items discovered missing from the residence included approximately $3,900.00 in checks made out to Harris and her red 1996 Chevrolet Blazer, which was found with Smith in Illinois.

A Nebraska State Patrol Investigator and an Otoe County Sheriffs Deputy interviewed Smith in Illinois.

Authorities initially reported that preliminary autopsy results showed no signs of foul play in Terri Harris' death.

According to Illinois authorities, Smith called police from a Motel 6 in Collinsville, Illinois on Saturday, and told them he'd killed someone in Nebraska and wanted to surrender. But Illinois police said when officers arrived Smith had changed his mind about surrendering. He surrendered after a four hour standoff with police.

The trial will reconvene Tuesday at 8:30 a.M. in Nebraska City, when the first witness is expected to be called to the stand.

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