Man accused of killing his boss to cover up King Soopers payroll fraud convicted of murder

AURORA | A man accused of orchestrating a payroll fraud that defrauded King Soopers of thousands of dollars was convicted of first-degree murder Thursday in connection with the shooting death of his former boss.

Jerrelle Smith, 44, was found guilty of first-degree murder and organized crime after a three-week trial in Adams County District Court, district officials said in a statement.

Smith was accused of killing his supervisor, Ryan Dillard, in 2021 to prevent him from being implicated in the wage fraud.

Smith was also accused of hatching the payroll scheme at Capstone Logistics in Aurora, a facility that processes King Soopers' payroll.

According to prosecutors, Smith manipulated the payroll system by using “ghost employees” to steal thousands of dollars.

Shortly after his hiring on October 4, 2021, Dillard began investigating the fraud. He concluded that former employee Michael Poydras had profited from Smith's ruse. Poydras was apparently still on the payroll even though he no longer worked for the company.

Fearing exposure, Smith hatched a plan to eliminate Dillard, prosecutors said.

On October 21, 2021, on Smith's orders, Poydras ambushed Dillard outside the facility in northern Aurora. Dressed all in black, Poydras hid behind a sign and opened fire on Dillard's car as he drove off to pick up breakfast for his co-workers.

Dillard died from his gunshot wounds, sparking an investigation by Aurora police.

The questioning led to Poydras' arrest and conviction for first-degree murder in July 2023. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

This week, Smith was found guilty of orchestrating the wage fraud and ordering Dillard's murder.

“The facts of this case are like something out of a movie because they are impossible to comprehend in real life,” said 17th District Attorney Brian Mason. “Smith stole thousands and thousands of dollars from Capstone Logistics and then hired a beneficiary of that scheme to murder a colleague in cold blood.”

Smith's sentencing has not yet been determined. Smith has been held in the Adams County Jail since his arrest in 2021, with bail set at $1 million.

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