A 19 year old Cedartown, Georgia man charged with Capital Murder has been extradited back to Cherokee County and is now in the Cherokee County Detention Center.

Matthew Gonzalez was booked in on Thursday on charges of Capital Murder during a Robbery in addition to Cruelty to Dog/Cats 1st Degree.

Gonzalez is accused of killing 45 year old Matthew Lee Smith during the overnight hours of Saturday, December 2 at a residence in the Salem Community near Spring Garden.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver stated that deputies and investigators responded to the home and discovered Smith with a gunshot wound to the head, he was pronounced dead at the scene by Cherokee County Coroner Jeremy Deaton.

Sheriff’s Office investigators assigned to the Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit, Coroner’s Office and the JSU Center for Applied Forensics processed the crime scene.

Chief Investigator Josh Summerford and Investigator Michael Green interviewed Gonzalez at the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office where he was taken into custody early Sunday, December 3rd after being charged with DUI by the Georgia State Patrol. 

Gonzalez remains in the Cherokee County Detention Center and is being held without bail.