I gave up counting holes in back of her head and neck
Paramedic tells of injuries caused by fiend
SERIAL woman-beater Keith Rizzo turned into a green-eyed monster to butcher girlfriend Neomi Smith.
Fuelled by alcohol, drugs and jealousy, the farm worker – now facing life behind bars – was a ticking timebomb. And he exploded in unimaginable violence when he saw 23-year-old care worker Neomi dancing with another man. High on drink and weed, he followed Neomi to her flat and kicked the door in. What unfolded was described in court as “like a horror movie” as Rizzo stabbed Neomi 32 times. Describing Neomi’s injuries, paramedic Angela McKenzie told the High Court in Glasgow: “It was full of holes – the back of her head and her neck. I gave up counting how many holes there were.” Tragic Neomi had died from multiple stab wounds, blunt force injury and neck compression. The court heard one of the wounds was so deep – 9.5cm – it almost exited the other side of her body through her oesophagus. Yesterday, a jury found former US serviceman’s son Rizzo guilty of Neomi’s murder. The Sunday morning slaying in her Brechin flat on June 9 last year left Aberdeen-born Neomi’s family devastated. In court, there was a cry of “yes” at the verdict. One family member shouted: “Hope you rot in hell, you b ***** d.”
Last night, Neomi’s dad John Smith, 47, posted on his Facebook page that he was “feeling heartbroken”, alongside the word “GUILTY ”.
The trial heard the couple were at Brechin’s Hudson’s Bar on the night before the murder.
Rizzo lost the plot and sent a table of drinks crashing.
His friend Cameron Saunders saw him storming out the pub after clocking Neomi dancing with another man. Saunders
said: “They were bumping bums. They were dancing away for a while when Keith said, ‘That’s enough’.”
Neomi was left in tears and told pals: “This is what I have to put up with.”
She left to walk home with friend Kayleigh Cameron and told her how she had been suffering at Rizzo’s violent hands.
But she was worried about leaving Rizzo in case he attacked her again as he had “not hesitated to do it before”.
Rizzo booted his way into her home before carrying out the killing. He throttled Neomi, used two knives to stab and cut her 32 times and left her pummelled with the same number of blunt force wounds. Rizzo then ran to her neighbour, claiming she’d been arguing with “someone” while he was in the shower. Stephen Alexander dialled 999 and returned with Rizzo to the bloodbath.
Neomi was found lying stricken in her kitchen.
The neighbour said: “It looked as though a battle had taken place.”
After the verdict, it emerged Rizzo had a domestic abuse conviction concerning an ex-partner.
He was also convicted of an earlier assault on Neomi.
Lady Rae, who deferred sentencing for reports, told him: “You will be facing a significant punishment part for the life sentence as this was a vile and brutal murder of a young woman.”
Last night, Detective Inspector Ross Fitzgerald said: “Our thoughts are with Neomi’s family and friends. This conviction will not compensate for their loss, but Rizzo will have to face the consequences for his horrific actions.”