The trial of a Bothell resident accused of murdering his estranged wife in February of 2013, opened today in Snohomish Superior Court in Everett.

The prosecution started by stating that Alan Smith had the motive, means, and opportunity to murder Susann Smith during the early morning hours of Feb. 12, 2013.

The defense rebuked these statements by showcasing how Alan Smith was at home with his kids, in fact sleeping between them, during the time of the murder and that there was DNA at the scene from one or two unknown assailants; purporting that the murder was a burglary gone wrong.

Alan Smith, who was in court for the proceedings, showed no emotion during the testimonies from the police who found Susann Smith’s body and the crime scene at her home in Bothell.

Witness statements started directly afterwards with an employee from Susann’s old employer, Z2 Live games in Seattle, and from the Bothell Police Department. Alan Smith frequently closed his eyes for long periods during testimony.

Other witnesses will be heard during the next several weeks, some coming from out of the country.

The trial is expected to last around three weeks. Earlier this week, Smith’s representation released that the verdict would be decided by a judge, instead of the usual jury verdict.

Please visit the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter for regular updates as the trial continues.

Family members of the victim look away during the most gruesome of photographs during the trial. In the background and right, defendant Alan Smith, accused of murdering his estranged wife Susann Smith in Feb. 2013, looks at the evidence photographs with a blank face.