Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s only one way we can ever describe Andrew Louis “Lou” Smit, it would have to be as arguably one of the greatest detectives across the nation from the 1970s to the 1990s. That’s because, as indicated in Netflix’s ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,’ he not only helped solve many notable cases prior to his 1996 retirement, but he also always fought for justice. It didn’t matter to him whether he closed a case quickly or not, he simply always wanted to do right by those wronged in any capacity, even if it meant devoting years to just one case.
Lou Smit Joined the Police Force Well Into Adulthood
Born on April 14, 1935, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Lou reportedly grew up in a rather middle-class household surrounded by loved ones who truly supported him in his every endeavor. That’s likely how he was invariably able to stay on his feet despite having several failed businesses while trying to establish himself as an entrepreneur upon completing all his educational priorities. Therefore, when a cousin suggested he shift gears by enrolling in the Colorado Springs Police Department to utilize all his skill sets, he took it as a sign from God and followed through.
The truth is Lou initially failed to join the force despite his unwavering hard work as he did not meet their minimum height requirement of five feet and nine inches, but he soon made it work. One night in 1996, he actually had his cousin hit him over the skull with a nightstick, giving him a massive bump that was counted into his height when he was remeasured the following morning. It was then that Lou’s whole world turned upside down because he realized this was his calling, which, in turn, helped him rise up the ranks to become a homicide detective within a few years.
Lou Smit Was the Epitome of a Great Police Officer
Although Lou Smit proved his mettle almost every single day that he left home to do his job, it was only in 1975 that he began gaining national traction for his efforts and unparalleled skills. This stemmed from his involvement in the apprehension of spree killer as well as rapist Freddie Glenn and the way he used technological advancements while staying rather old-school. He even arrested Robert Charles Browne in 1995 for the 1991 murder of Heather Dawn Church, only for the case to blow up as a global sensation since the latter’s father was considered a suspect for years, and the former ultimately confessed to a total of 48 murders.
As if that’s not enough, according to the aforementioned original production, Lou once solved a case with nothing but a fingerprint on a window, earning him the epithet of Sherlock Holmes. Therefore, by the time he officially retired from the El Paso County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office as Captain of Detectives in 1996 at age 63, he had over 200 solved homicide cases under his belt. Little did anybody know he would essentially come out of retirement in March 1997, three months after JonBenét Ramsey’s murder, to investigate the matter upon the District Attorney’s request.
The suspicion at this time was primarily on this 6-year-old girl’s parents owing to the fact her body was found in the basement of their home by none other than her father, John Ramsey. This is despite the fact there had been a strange kidnapping note left behind near their kitchen, which had initially led the family to dial 911 in the morning hours of December 26, 1996. However, from the beginning of his investigations, Lou asserted there was no way the parents could have been involved in JonBenét’s case as the evidence itself showed otherwise, which he maintained till the end.
Lou Smit Sadly Died at the Age of 75 in 2010
According to records, Lou actually continued to work on JonBenét’s’ cold cases until he couldn’t anymore, only to pass it down to his children in the hopes they one day find the much-needed answers to bring this matter to a truly satisfactory close for all. It was around early 2010 when this former detective fell incredibly ill while facing severe abdominal pain, resulting in him being diagnosed with untreatable colon cancer – he had a tumor in his gut, yet the cancer itself had spread throughout his body. So, on August 11, 2010, at the age of 75, this proud husband, father of four, as well as grandfather of nine unfortunately passed away at the Pikes Peak Hospice Center in Colorado Springs. One of his daughters, Cindy Marra, a paralegal at a Colorado Springs law firm, has since been investigating JonBenét’s case to hopefully fulfill her father’s dying wish.
