He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but was released in 1996 on mandatory parole after serving 15 years. Name He was an Army veteran of Vietnam and an Automobile Mechanic. Real Criminals Referenced in Season Twelve, https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Randall_Lee_Smith?oldid=186997. When darkness fell upon the trail, Smith abruptly stood up, walked behind Farmer, and shot him in the head. He was eventually tracked down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Mr. Smith was employed with Prestolite Wire Company prior to his retirement. Pathology Johnston gave him some fish he caught, then pointed him to his campsite, which was coincidentally in the same area where Mountford and Ramsay were murdered. Two days later, Smith and his dog went to Johnston's campsite and met his friend, 33-year-old Sean Farmer. He grew up in various locations and graduated from High School in Three Forks, Montana in 1964.He enlisted into As Smith was busy shooting Farmer in the chest at point-blank range, Johnston fled; Smith fired at him and hit him in the back of the head, but Johnston escaped. Randall Lee Smith, 68, Minot, died Tuesday, November 11, 2014 in a Minot hospital.Randall was born in Duluth, Minnesota on October 16, 1946 to Basil E. and Bernice M. Gidbout Smith. Gender Unclassified Killer He was born on March 4, 1949 the son of William and Maxine Baldwin Childs. In 1981 Smith befriended two hikers on the trail. 2 counts of first-degree murder (originally) Randall Lee Smith remains a mystery By Mike Gangloff 981-3336; May 10, 2008 May 10, 2008 Updated Jun 6, 2019; 0; 1 of 3 This was the home of Randall Lee Smith… Randall F. Smith was born September 20, 1934 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to James LeVoy Smith and Rada Fitzgerald Smith. Afterwards, he placed their bodies in their own sleeping bodies, and then buried them. May 8, 2008 The Smiths lived in multiple small homes in the unincorporated community of Ingram, located in Pearisburg, Virginia, before settling in a four-room, single-story home, which would become Smith's permanent residence until his death. Criminal Charges Born October 10, 1951, in Modesto, CA, he was the oldest son of the late Robert L. Benson and Dorthy "Gail" (Barlow) Benson. He later left while in the eleventh grade and traveled between Ingram and the city of Newport News to work as a shipyard welder. Meanwhile, on the morning of May 6, Smith and his dog approached 39-year-old fisherman Scott Johnston at Brushy Mountain, equipped with a .22-caliber pistol that he had somehow obtained, and introduced himself as Ricky Williams. [9] Smith was arrested that day after attempting to escape in one of the victim's trucks and subsequently crashing. Through his work at UPS, Randall … Sentence Randall Lee Benson SUMMERVILLE - Randall Lee Benson went to his eternal home Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 in his Summerville, SC home surrounded by family. He is survived by his parents, Louis and Mary Reynolds; and brother, James P. Reynolds. Dublin, Virginia He also resumed doing odd jobs. Investigators searched his home and found, among other things, a note claiming he had been abducted by two people who were going to kill him. Six weeks later, neighbors finally noticed his absence. While in custody, Smith was noted to be exhibiting dissociative behavior and having forgotten everything about his past, though psychological testing ultimately concluded that he was faking it. Randall will join in Glory, his parents Archie Lee Talley and Lola Ellen Weaver Talley, as well as his beloved Stepmother of 63 years, Nina Faye Morgan Talley. Farmer picked Johnston up and, with great difficulty, drove themselves over to another home, where Johnston got the owners to call 911. He then went back to the road, where he was spotted by a state trooper. Randall … Randall Orman Smith, 66, of Benton, Arkansas, passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2017. Both men were ultimately transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and survived their injuries. Span of crimes Then, he turned and shot Johnston in the neck. He is survived by his wife, Cammee Hayner Childs his parents Randall Lee Wallace, 65, of Clarksburg, passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at his residence following a courageous battle with cancer. Born sometime in 1954, Smith's parents divorced when he was only six months old, and excluding the fifteen years he would later spend in prison, he lived with his mother Loretta, a nurse's aide, until her death in 2000. Smith was transported back to Virginia and charged with two counts of murder. Randall “Randy” Smith, 82, of Weirton, passed away Tuesday, September 3, 2019 in the Weirton Medical Center. "Randall Lee Smith (June 29,1953– May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. HAWKEYE — Randall Lee Strelow, 51, of Hawkeye, died Wednesday, Feb. 29, following an accident with another semi-trailer which occurred on Highway 18 in Chickasaw County. He is survived by his partner, Vicki Bulson, her daughters Ilia Belcher and Amber Meador (Tim) and their children Ava and Jackson. And then there’s Randall Lee Smith. of Victims Their murders were the first double homicide to occur in the Appalachian Trail. May 19, 1981-May 6, 2008 On the day before the trial, Smith unexpectedly accepted a plea bargain in which he would plead guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of thirty years in prison. Randall Lee Childs of Hanover , Michigan passed away on July 13, 2011 at the Mackinac Straits Hospital in Saint Ignace , Michigan . During the 2008 double shooting, Smith shot Sean Farmer and Scott Johnston twice each with another .22-caliber pistol, without warning, after befriending them and lowering their guard. Both survived, but Randall Lee Smith was charged with two counts of attempted murder. Randall Lee Griffin Randall Lee Griffin, 51, of the 4200 block of Beasley Court, passed away June 10, 2006, in Norfolk, VA. A native of Asheville, NC, he was the son of the late Carl D. Griffin, Jr. Police tricked him into identifying himself via signature, by claiming the bug bites on him were serious and that he required medical attention. Shipyard welderVarious other odd jobs He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, who were killed while hiking the Appalachian Trail, in May 1981. During the investigation into their disappearances, police were pointed to Smith, who was seen with Mountford and Ramsay when they were last seen, and who would tell other hikers that he knew what had happened to them. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Kathryn (Smith) Bixenman. Roy was known for … At the time, Mountford and Ramsay were hiking the trail to raise funds for the mentally ill. Smith's motive for killing them currently remains in dispute: Regardless of the motive, Smith made efforts to conceal evidence of the murders. Place of Birth Susan Ramsay (left) and Robert Mountford, Jr. (right). Randall Lee (Randy) Dodd unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack at Roanoke Memorial on November 19. [10] He died in jail four days later as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Smith then followed the two back to their camp and killed them. On the evening of May 10, four days after the double shooting, Smith was found unconscious in his room. Date of Death From 1969 through 1975 he served honorably in … 30 years (served only half before parole) "Double-shooting suspect dies in custody", "Community reacts to Randall Lee Smith's death", "Pearisburg man never shook reputation as AT killer", "Randall Lee Smith's death ruled accidental", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Randall_Lee_Smith&oldid=980861014, American people who died in prison custody, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 September 2020, at 21:59. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Orris and Evelyn Rowe sister, Apprehended Smith Changes Plea, Sentenced to 30 Years Smith changes plea to guilty Hikers’ killer going home Giles County authorities investigate double shooting AT shooting suspect has hearing in car Community reacts to Randall Lee Smith’s death Pearisburg man never shook reputation as AT killer Double-shooting suspect dies in custody Occupation In 1996, fifteen years into his sentence, he was released on mandatory parole for good behavior, which outraged Mountford and Ramsay's families. On May 19, 1981, Smith murdered two 27-year-old social workers from Maine, Robert Mountford, Jr., and Laura Ramsay, by stabbing them to death. He was a United Parcel Service Driver for 30 years; his route included the Furley, Whitewater, and Goessel areas. Afterwards, he was taken to the medical wing of the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin. Randall Lee Smith In fact, he rarely interacted with anyone in the neighborhood since his parole. She was born on May 2, 1926, in Wister, OK to John Gordon and Sarah Emadine Mcgee (McClain). He is survived by his daughter Dorothy Smith, Grandson Mark Smith, Grandaughter Melissa Cline, two grandchildren and a great grandchild. Beforehand, Ramsay was bludgeoned with a piece of iron. Cindy was born in Gideon MO on January 1, 1949 to William and Juanita (Noble) Lee. Randall Lee Smith, 57, of Farmington, died July 26 at Togus. Status Hikers protested outside the courtroom the day after his sentencing, and a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conference said Smith is the "first person convicted of murdering a hiker who has had the opportunity to leave prison". One of the homeowners recognized Smith after Johnston described his shooter, and had his grandson retrieve one of the missing-person photos of him from the grocery store. He returned to Ingram to live with his mother, and wore an electronic monitoring anklet as part of his ten years of supervision. He was also preceded in death by his wife Kimberly Kay Kimble Smith, former wife, Joyce Smith Cole, daughter-in … He was transported to the same hospital where Farmer and Johnston were at, and placed under constant police surveillance for the next two days while receiving medical attention. He married Carol A. Bowers on September 19, 1970, in Mishawaka, IN. The sentence was met with outrage from the community, especially police officers and the hiking community; hikers protested outside the courtroom the day after, while a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (then the Appalachian Trail Conference) said that Smith is the "first person convicted of murdering a hiker who has had the opportunity to leave prison". Randall Lee Smith, age 76 of Gainesville, moved to his eternal home Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family. He was born Oct. 8, 1949 in Lewisburg, Penn., a son of the late Kenneth L. and Violet E. (Duck) Smith. Lying RandallLyin' RandallL.R.Ricky Williams [7], On May 6, 2008, Smith attempted to kill two fishermen less than two miles from the site of the 1981 murders. Mr. Smith was a graduate of Milton High School in Milton, Penn., class of 1967. After burying Mountford, Ramsay, and their possessions, he traveled along the trail to remove, from multiple shelters, log books that are signed by hikers in the trail. He is survived with two half brothers, Lee(Peggy) Randall of Idaho, Jerry (Lillian)Randall and neice Jaime, of Bronston, Ky. Randall Lee Reynolds Obituary. During his hospitalization, Smith claimed he shot Farmer and Johnston in self-defense. [2] He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, who were killed while hiking the Appalachian Trail, in May 1981. Randall Lee Smith was charged with two counts of attempted murder for his assault on Scott and Sean. He attended the local Giles High School, but never played sports or participated in any other school- or community-related events. Male RANDALL VERSIE SMITH Birmingham Police Department, Alabama End of Watch Monday, December 28, 2020. He went on to serve 28 years as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Gene Raymond Smith, 81, of Fort Gratiot, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. As time went on, Smith became more and more reclusive, though he continued to interact with hikers on the Appalachian Trail. He married Beverly Johnson on May 4, 1957 in Applegate. Despite attempts to revive him, he died at the age of 54; an autopsy ruled that he died of natural causes. In 2010 Randall retired from Centerpoint Energy after 36 years of service. Randall Lee Smith was convicted of the death of two hikers in 1981, crimes for which he served 15 years in prison from 1981 to 1996. 1954 He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving in Viet Nam. After his mother's death in 2000, Smith's neighbors attempted to befriend him, but they were unsuccessful. Funeral Home Services for Randall are being provided by Woodfin Funeral Chapel - … 2 killed2 attempted He was 55 years old. Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. He befriended both men and ate dinner with them, during which he claimed that he graduated from Virginia Tech and wrote papers for NASA, though Farmer and Johnston did not believe his story. Medical staff hurried to revive him, but their attempts were in vain, and shortly afterward, Randall Lee Smith was pronounced dead at the age of fifty four years old. Meanwhile, Smith had hijacked Johnston's truck and fled back to his own campsite, but was unable to find some of his belongings in the night darkness. Whenever he did talk to others, he continued to make up tall tales about himself. Randall was born on December 25, 1963, in Gorman, Tx, to Lewis Lee and Lena Faye (Smith) Sims. He was born in Clarksburg on June 18, 1954, a son of the late Russell Lee Wallace, and Maxine Shiffra Allen who survives. Venita Mae Smith, 94, passed away on Jan. 7, 2021. May 10, 2008 (aged 54) He was born June 18, 1937 in Salem, WV, a son of the late Arthur and Sylvia Riffee Smith. ShootingStabbing (once) Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Concerned about what Smith might be planning on doing, police put up missing-person posters around town. He attempted to flirt with her but was interrupted by an intervening Mountford. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but was released in 1996 on mandatory parole after serving 15 years. [3][4] He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but was released in 1996 on mandatory parole after serving 15 years. Here is Randall Lee Reynolds’s obituary. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Randall Lee Reynolds of Rockford, Alabama, who passed away on August 31, 2020, at the age of 59, leaving to mourn family and friends. She was a member of Newport News Church of Christ. He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, who were killed while hiking the Appalachian Trail, in May 1981. By GEORGE THWAITES Bluefield Daily Telegraph Nov 18, 2018 Randall Lee Smith died mere days after being taken into custody in Giles County of a blood clot in 2008. 2001 – A Canadian woman was murdered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He was born April 9, 1938 in East Detroit to the late Russell and Norma Smith. The election for the local district attorney was affected as a result of the sentencing. As a child, Smith kept to himself and never played with the other children. May 19, 1981: Robert Mountford and Laura Ramsay: May 6, 2008: Sean Farmer and Scott Johnston. Birth Date Randall K. Smith 59, died Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at his Rural Newton Home. Criminal Minds Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. She was a laborer. He is also survived by siblings, Russell Lee (Brenda) Smith of Grand Valley, Illinois, Rodney (Beth) Smith of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and Paula (Tucker) Hubly of Kankakee, Illinois. REAL CRIMINAL Deceased(natural causes). Randall Lee Smith is an American murderer who was active along the Appalachian Trail in southwestern Virginia. He developed a hobby of collecting arrowheads and spending time out in the wilderness. Randall Lee Smith (June 29, 1953 – May 10, 2008)[1] was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. Born sometime in 1954, Smith's parents divorced when he was only six months old, and excluding the fifteen years he would later spend in prison, he lived with his mother Loretta, a nurse's aide, until her death in 2000. More recently, researchers believed Smith committed the murders because of how drawn he was to the area. Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Smith, John Smith, Phillip Dennis, Jason Dennis, Terry Dennis and Dawson Dennis. The Smiths lived in multiple small homes in the unincorporated community of Ingram, located in Pearisburg, Virginia, before settling in a four-room, single-story home, which would become Smith's permanent residence until his death. [1][11], The novel Murder on the Appalachian Trail (1985), by Jess Carr, is a fictionalized account of the 1981 murders.[12]. A neighbor recounted that Smith viewed hikers in the Appalachian Trail as "interlopers", and that Smith would make extraordinary efforts to clean litter around the nearby creek. On July 22, 1983, he … [6] His probation ended in 2006. Here is Randall Lee Day’s obituary. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2014 at 11:00 am in the Chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home … Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Hanover Cemetery Association. The late prosecutor who led the prosecution against Smith during his trial, along with an acquaintance of Smith's, theorized that Smith, through his virtual lack of inexperience of women, became romantically obsessed with Ramsay because she was friendly to him when they met in a store along the trail. It is always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish. [8] He befriended the two fishermen, who shared their dinner with Smith, before Smith opened fire on them without warning. But in the middle of the night, while the three slept at the Appalachian Trail’s Wapiti Shelter in southwestern Virginia, Smith shot one of his new companions in the head with a .22 bullet and, after a struggle, killed the other one in a gruesome stabbing. Randall Lee Smith (June 29, 1953 – May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. Farmer then fled in his truck while Smith was busy reloading. Officer Randy Smith died as the result of complications of an inadvertent gunshot wound suffered on March 25th, 1995, while responding to a domestic disturbance call at 916 18th Street in Ensley. Mary Rowe Payne, 77, passed away on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Forensic analysis showed there were no obvious signs of foul play; there no marks on his body whatsoever, and in all likelihood, Randall had simply died of natural causes. The 1981 murder and 2008 attack on the fishermen were also depicted in the Investigation Discovery series Dead Silent: The Curse of Dismal Creek, season 1, episode 1, broadcast on October 25, 2016. Virginia Coincidentally, the assistant superintendent of the jail was once a member of the investigative team that had discovered Mountford and Ramsay's bodies, and also the first officer to respond to Smith's original arrest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as he (in another coincidence) had gone there to take a break from the case in the first place. They later found Mountford and Ramsay's bodies, and identified Smith after they found his fingerprint inside one of Ramsay's paperback novels. Alias He is … No. PEARISBURG -- News of Randall Lee Smith's death Saturday afternoon elicited little sympathy Sunday in Giles County. Police interrogated Farmer and Johnston, and Johnston identified Smith as his shooter after being shown the photo. [13] Smith was also referenced in season 12, episode 4 of Criminal Minds. Both men were shot twice, but survived. Venita was a sweet quiet loving godly woman that enjoyed quilting, going to church, word search puzzles, … Randall Lee Smith (June 29, 1953 – May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. For the first few years of his life, Smith's mother forced him to wea… He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, JoAnn Moore Talley, his daughter ,Donna Talley Smith and husband, … A lifelong resident of the Peninsula, she retired as an Executive Secretary from Newport News Shipbuilding. For the first few years of his life, Smith's mother forced him to wear girls' clothing for unexplained reasons. 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