Last year, Isimemen Etute, a 2021 Virginia Tech football recruit, was charged with second-degree murder after beating a man to death who he had met on Tinder.

Jerry Smith, a 40-year-old Blacksberg, Virginia man, had matched with Etute, then 18, on the dating app as "Angie." On April 10, Etute visited Smith's apartment and received oral sex and a 50 dollar gift.  The apartment was kept dark during the encounter.

Etute wasn't the only Virginia Tech football to have had Tinder dealings with Smith, and some of the other players made fun of Etute for hooking up with a man.

Etute returned to Smith's apartment on May 31 under the guise of more sexual activity to find out if Smith was a man or a woman.  When Etute learned the truth he became angry and punched Smith in the face five times and then stomped on him when he hit the ground.  Etute admits he heard "bubbling and gurgling" before he left the apartment but didn't call the police.

Smith was found dead two days later.

Etute, who was facing 4o-years, was acquitted of murder on Friday.  Etute's lawyer argued that Smith had reached for a knife, which was found near his bed, and that Etute killed Smith in self-defense.  Etute didn't mention the knife when police interviewed him after finding the body.

But the jury bought it, and now Etute is free.

“I think he's earned the right to go back to school and further his academic and sports career. I think the school that ends up taking him is going to get probably a lot wiser and a much smarter and an exceptional athlete," said his lawyer James Turk.