Melissa Ketunuti Case: Jason Smith, Exterminator Murders, Strangles, And Burned Body Of Philadelphian Doctor After Argument [Update]

Jason Smith, 36, has come forward and admitted to strangling and burning the body of Dr. Melissa Ketunuti in her Philadelphian home. The suburban exterminator has been charged with murder, arson, abuse of a corpse and risking a catastrophe, and has no prior criminal record.

Capt. James Clark said at a news conference, "she needed an exterminator, she called a certain service, he was subcontracted out," Clark said. "They got into some type of argument. It went terribly wrong."

Apparently, Smith "struck her while she was in the basement, knocked her down, strangled her to death and ultimately set her body on fire" to hide evidence on the body which was bound with a rope at her wrists and ankles and also wrapped around her neck.

Investigators said Smith and the doctor have never met before and the argument was the cause of the fatal crime. The substance of the argument wasn't released but Clark says, "It's very tragic," he said. "You have a young physician who dedicated her life to helping people and to die in this tragic manner, it's very, very sad."

Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed Smith entering her home with a coat and gloves on, then an hour later, it shows him leaving without a coat. Another video shows Smith driving by her home several times after driving off in his truck.

Clark said, "Detectives did an unbelievable job of finding every bit of footage that was in that area," Clark said.

District Attorney Seth Williams sent out his condolences after thanking detectives who've worked countless hours, "I would first like to send my thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and neighbors of Melissa Ketunuti," he said. "I know their pain must be enormous and I hope that today's arrest will help ease some of that pain."