Man pleads guilty to killing pregnant woman and setting fire

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Rhode Island man charged with killing a pregnant woman and setting her apartment on fire has pleaded guilty.

Attorney General Peter Kilmartin says 31-year-old Born Smith entered his plea Thursday on murder and arson charges in the death of 32-year-old Aliss Collins.

Kilmartin says the Providence resident was sentenced to life in prison on each count with the sentences to run concurrent, under the terms of the plea.

Firefighters found Collins inside a third-floor apartment of a burning Cranston building in November 2015.

Prosecutors say Collins was eight months pregnant with Smith’s baby. They say Smith bludgeoned her to death and then set the fire in an attempt to cover up the murder. The fetus did not survive.

Prosecutors say a fire extinguisher had Collins’ blood and Smith’s palm print on it.