Naman Shrestha
In NBC’s ‘Dateline: Return to the Lake,’ the focus is on the brutal crime of Susan Smith, who was responsible for murdering her two sons in October 1994. Initially, she played the role of a helpless mother, desperately asking for help from law enforcement and the public to find her children. Eventually, she gave in to the pressure and confessed her crimes. The documentary episode also features new footage of the killer, along with interviews with the victims’ loved ones and officials connected to the case.
Susan Smith Pretended to Know Nothing About Her Children’s Disappearance For Several Days
Born on September 26, 1971, Susan Leigh Smith (née Vaughan) was only six years old when her father took his own life. The absence of a father figure took a toll on her, and she tried to follow in his footsteps by attempting suicide at the age of 13. Her attempt failed, and not long after, a father figure was introduced into her life in the form of a stepfather named Beverly C. Russell Jr., who reportedly molested her in her teenage years. In 1989, she passed out of high school and tried to take her life once again when she got her heart broken by a married man. After several years of struggle, Susan seemed to have finally met the man of her dreams — David Smith.
The two tied the knot and gave birth to two adorable sons — Michael Daniel and Alexander Tyler. Unfortunately, the two children were stopped from achieving their full potential. At the time, she was having an extramarital affair with Tom Findlay, who ended their relationship because he did not see a future with someone with children. So, in order to change his mind, on the fateful night of October 25, 1994, Susan admittedly let her 1990 Mazda Protégé sedan drive into the John D. Long Lake with her two sons strapped inside the car. However, what she told the police and the rest of the world was entirely different.
She claimed that she was carjacked by a black man wearing a toboggan hat who drove away with her children. Her fake cries and pleas went on for the next nine days, asking the public to help the Smiths find their children in any possible way. Meanwhile, the investigators felt suspicious of her contradictory statements regarding the carjacking. She was even asked to get a polygraph test done. When the authorities zeroed in on her, she ended up confessing to the crime on November 3, 1994, and got arrested for the same.
Susan Smith Was Brought to Justice For the Double Homicide
A few months later, in 1995, Susan Smith stood trial for the murder of her two sons — Michael Daniel and Alexander Tyler. The prosecution claimed that the defendant chose a man over her family as she killed her children because of an affair. On the other hand, the defense argued that she had a mental breakdown and wanted to die along with her children that night but decided to get out of the car at the very end. Her defense psychiatrist also diagnosed her with a couple of mental health issues, including dependent personality disorder and major depression.
After hearing both sides of the coin, the jury deliberated for a couple of hours before returning with a guilty verdict and convicting Susan of murdering her two sons. As for the sentencing, the prosecution pushed for the death penalty, but the jury voted against it. Subsequently, the killer was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences, with the possibility of parole after three decades. Initially, she was held in the Administrative Segregation Unit in the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina. However, in 2000, she reportedly got physically involved with a couple of correctional officers and was transferred to the Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Susan Smith is Incarcerated at a South Carolina Prison Facility Awaiting Her Next Parole Hearing
Having spent 30 years behind bars for killing her two sons in 1994, Susan Smith became eligible for parole for the first time on November 20, 2024. During her meeting with the parole board, she apologized for her crimes and requested to be released from prison. She stated, “I know what I did was horrible. And I would give anything so I could change it.” She ended her statement by asking for the board’s mercy. Meanwhile, there was a group of 15 people, including her former husband and the father of the victims, who demanded the board to reject her parole appeal.
David Smith opened up to the parole board, stating, “She changed my life for the rest of my life that night.” Claiming that 15 years for each child was not severe enough punishment for her crimes. He further added, “I’m asking that you please, deny her parole today, and hopefully in the future, but specifically today.” After taking into consideration both statements, the parole board’s decision was in favor of David Smith as they unanimously decided that Susan would stay behind bars for at least two years before her next parole hearing. Following the hearing, David said, “In two more years, we’ll go through this again. But at least I know, for now, she’ll still be behind bars.” As of today, she is serving her sentence at Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina, while awaiting her next scheduled parole eligibility date, which is in November 2026.
Read More: David Smith: Where is Susan Smith’s Ex-Husband Now?
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