TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's note: The above report first aired April 2, 2022, following the arrest of Dajuan Smith.
A man charged with attempt to commit murder after allegedly shooting his girlfriend entered an Alford plea Monday.
Authorities took Dajuan Smith, 32, of Toledo, into custody five days after his girlfriend was found shot in a west Toledo hotel room March 29.
Smith withdrew his previous plea of not guilty to the charge of attempt to commit murder. He entered an Alford plea Monday in Lucas County Common Pleas court.
A defendant entering an Alford plea does not admit to committing a crime, but admits the state has sufficient evidence to get a conviction that could lead to a more severe sentence.
In March, police were called to the Days Inn on W. Alexis Road near Bennett around 11 a.m. after reports of gunfire. They found a woman in a hotel room who had been shot at least once. She was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Police asked for the public's help in finding Smith after they said he was a suspect in the shooting.
Two relatives of the victim told police she was staying at the hotel with Smith, whom they said is her boyfriend.
A man matching his description was seen on surveillance footage exiting the room where the shooting happened and walking away from the building.
Based on that surveillance footage police searched the area and found a .40-caliber handgun. They also found a .40-caliber shell casing in the hotel room.
Smith was taken into custody on April 2.
He will be sentenced Sept. 7 at 1 p.m.