Naman Shrestha
When a 30-year-old restaurant server and single mother named Laura McNaughton met her untimely and horrific demise in late 2005 in Clovis, New Mexico, shockwaves were sent across the entire community. With her loved ones navigating grief, the authorities launched a homicide investigation that ultimately led them to the perpetrator, thanks to forensic evidence and witness statements. The gruesome case is the primary focus of NBC’s ‘Dateline: Hunted,’ which also features exclusive and in-depth interviews with Laura’s loved ones and the officials who helped solve the case.
Laura McNaughton Was Found Dead in a Rural Ditch Under Mysterious Circumstances
Born on August 24, 1975, in San Diego, California, Laura McNaughton was the beloved daughter of David and Maria “Lucky” Moreno Beardmore. After spending more than two decades growing up in California with her three sisters, Jacqueline Casillas, Maria Beardmore, and Krystal Beardmore, Laura moved to Clovis, New Mexico, in August 2002. By then, she had married Jeff McNaughton, with whom she shared two daughters, Madalin and Kelsey McNaughton. However, cracks began to appear in their marriage, and the couple officially parted ways, sharing custody of their children.
In late 2005, Laura was looking forward to receiving an associate’s degree from Wayland Baptist, while working part-time as a server at the RibCrib BBQ to support her education and raise her daughters. Unfortunately, the doting mother’s aspirations to see her daughters succeed in life were shattered in December 2005 when fate intervened. On December 10, 2005, the remains of the 30-year-old mother of two were discovered by a group of hunters in a rural ditch in Curry County, northeast of Clovis. The autopsy revealed that Laura had been sexually assaulted and beaten before being strangled to death. She had multiple injuries on her body, consistent with sexual assault.
Laura McNaughton’s Killer Was Caught Few Days After Murder
In order to get to the bottom of the case, the authorities conducted interviews with Laura McNaughton’s family and friends, including her former husband Jeff McNaughton. He was soon eliminated as a potential suspect, as he had a concrete alibi and no motive. Upon speaking with Laura’s coworkers at the RibCrib BBQ, they learned that a dentist named James Franklin Smith used to frequently visit the restaurant and offer her large tips. According to witnesses, the dentist also allegedly approached her and made her feel uncomfortable, to the point that Laura raised her concern with her family and her hair stylist. The evidence found at the crime scene and in his vehicle also pointed to James’ involvement in the crime.
At the time, the dentist at La Casa Family Health Care Center was a family man, with a wife and three children of his own. Armed with sufficient incriminating evidence and witness statements against him, the detectives arrested James on December 20, 2005, and charged him with the murder of Laura McNaughton. He was then held at the Curry County Detention Center without bond. Following his arrest, he was officially indicted on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual penetration, and three counts of tampering with evidence.
The Killer Made an Alford Plea to Avoid Death Sentence
Nearly a year after his arrest, on December 12, 2006, James, who was facing the death penalty, entered an Alford plea to all the charges against him. It meant he didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to secure his conviction. During the sentencing hearing, Laura’s mother, Maria Beardmore, addressed the killer: “You took a beautiful life. I don’t know what made you commit such a violent crime — I don’t know what happened to you. When did you change — 21, 22? You don’t have the opportunity to be called a doctor any more — you are just a killer and a rapist and a predator.”
She added, “I don’t understand you. You know, a man is supposed to be given an upper strength and the strength in his body to protect a woman. And did you protect Laura that night? You used it for your advantage. You beat her to death. A man is supposed to protect his wife. Did you protect your wife that night and your children? Look where you left your own children — where you left my grandchildren. Why don’t you step up to the plate and admit what you did?” In exchange for the plea deal, he was sentenced to life in prison plus 27 years, with the possibility of parole after serving 57 years behind bars. He was also ordered to pay a substantial amount of restitution for counseling Laura’s surviving children.
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