Ridgecrest man accused of murder, arson to be arraigned Feb. 16 An arraignment date has been set for a 59-year-old Ridgecrest man accused of first-degree murder and arson. After preliminary hearings on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, George Smith will face three felony charges on Tuesday, Feb. 16. He was arrested on June 30 for the murder of 54-year-old Vickie Lynne Ryno Smith, who was found dead inside of a burning house at around 10 a.m. the same morning. According to court documents, Smith confessed to the killing to Kern County Sheriff's Deputies. He said that he felt like he was “in a bad dream waiting to wake up,” as well as “[m]y wife of 36 years, I killed her.”