Nicholas X. Smith, 20, of 121 Clinton St., Apt. 3, Albany was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Smith is accused of killing Michael Cable, who was found dead by his girlfriend on June 19 around 10:30 p.m. Police said Cable’s cause of death was from a gunshot wound. Police said the weapon has not been recovered.
During a press conference Wednesday at City Hall, Amsterdam Police Department Detective Joseph Spencer had “no comment” when asked where on Cable’s body he was shot and declined to say what type of gun was used.
Spencer said Amsterdam police received a 911 call on June 19 for an injured male bleeding profusely on the sidewalk at the Lefferts Street residence. Upon arrival, he was determined deceased.
“In our investigation, police conducted a neighborhood canvass which led to the recovery of evidence of the crime inside an abandoned home at 38 Eagle St., Amsterdam,” Spencer said. “All other information that was developed led to our suspect, Nicholas Smith, being in Albany after the killing, so members of the Albany Police Department and New York State Police placed the residence under surveillance and in the late afternoon of June 25, Nicholas Smith was observed leaving his residence and when he was approached by police, he was taken to Albany Police Department south station without incident.”
Smith was transported from the Albany Police Department to Amsterdam police headquarters where he was processed and arraigned in front of Amsterdam City Court Judge Lisa Lorman. He was remanded to Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail. He reappeared in court on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to meet with a public defender.
Spencer said home surveillance equipment that belonged to Cable was vital in the identification of Smith as the suspect in the case. Spencer said Cable and Smith did know one another, and at one time, Smith lived in Amsterdam. He said they do not know what Smith’s motive was for shooting Cable.
He said police have leads as to how Smith got from Albany to Amsterdam, but he again would not discuss the details.
Spencer said the investigation into the case is ongoing.
Amsterdam police were assisted by Albany City Police, Gloversville City Police, state police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.
