Not guilty plea in Santa Rosa homicide case

A homeless Santa Rosa man, suspected of stabbing to death a former homeless man in the city’s second homicide of 2015, pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning during a brief court appearance.

Kahlil Rahim Keith, 35, answered Judge Robert LaForge with a clear but quiet “not guilty,” when the judge asked him how he pleads to the charge. Keith, who was charged with homicide and enhancements involving being armed while committing a felony, also told the judge he denied the enhancements.

After the hearing, Keith’s attorney, Scott Roberts, declined to answer questions about his client or the case.

Santa Rosa detectives arrested Keith just hours after Willie Ray Smith, 47, was found in a pool of blood on a sidewalk in front of a southwest Santa Rosa home where he had been living.

Smith died from a stab wound to his chest. The one-eyed man was a longtime area transient known to hang out downtown and had a long history of local petty crimes and hundreds of interactions with police.

He had recently moved into the home, which was provided by Catholic Charities as temporary shelter for several homeless men.

Smith and Keith were acquaintances, believed to be on cordial terms, said Santa Rosa detective Sgt. Dave Linscomb. Keith was visiting Smith that night at the Bellevue Ranch house.

What led to an argument and the 3:15 a.m. violence remained unclear, Linscomb said Wednesday.

Keith was found walking in the area at about 7 a.m. and subsequently arrested. A weapon hasn’t been located.

The homicide charge dramatically stands out alongside Keith’s criminal history in Sonoma County, which mainly has involved minor crimes such as petty theft and shoplifting. That was in evidence during Wednesday’s hearing when Keith also pleaded not guilty to a charge on a separate case of being drunk in public.

A preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to have Keith stand trial for Smith’s death was scheduled for June 22.

Santa Rosa’s first homicide this year resulted from a February gunfight at a Rincon Valley home off of Highway 12 that involved marijuana. One man died and another man was badly wounded.

Two residents of the Acacia Lane where the shooting occurred face homicide charges.