The two boys were strapped into their car seats inside the vehicle at the time. America's original most-hated mom Susan Smith was found in a pool of blood in her prison cell after she slashed her wrists during one of her bizarre cutting rituals, according to reports. . She met him on the internet. Tom Findlay, her lover and the boss' son in the office where she worked as a secretary and earned $17,000 a year, had written her the now-infamous letter telling her he was not ready to be a father. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Per TIME, Smith later said the relationship continued until roughly six months before she committed murder, and later revised their relationship as "consensual.". ", Florida migrant flights lawsuit dismissed in wake of Legislature passing law, Editorial Cartoons for Thursday from Times Wire Services, Bucs new coordinator is confident! Smith was not one to quietly let it happen though, instead, she outed him. The man she wrote about was a graphic artist named Tom Findlay, who enthralled the court with details of a stormy relationship that came to a head on October 25, 1994. . They mentioned that her children had become a major handicap in Susans choice to get what she wants. Susan Smith, a mother from South Carolina, was convicted of murdering her two sons by drowning them in South Carolina Lake. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Smith has spent more than half of her life in prison. Per the source, it's because Smith "knows that her parole date is [a few] years away and she can't get parole if she isn't being good." Divorced now and selling the brick ranch house where Smith grew up, the 54-year-old mother and grandmother who has been portrayed as cold, controlling and hard-edged is showing her emotional. From Zero to Hero: Write Your Short in 30 days, How to stream the upcoming UFC fights for free, Is Madeleine McCann alive? But the Union, South Carolina moms dramatic story turned out to be a tall taleand nine days after those initial claims, Smith admitted there had been no assailant and no kidnapping. [4] Susan Smith was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith, born October 10 and 14-month-old Alexander. Susan Smith murdered her young sons in 1994. But eventually, her lies came crashing down and the horrible truth about what happened to Susan Smiths children was revealed. Susan Smith's childhood was disturbing. When it was revealed that she was lying, anger arose in both local and national African American communities. According to aPeople report in 2020, a source inside the prison said that Smith is "behaving herself these days." Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. The Charlotte brokerage underwrote the company's initial public offering of stock in December 1993. While he was on the stand, jurors heard two intimate letters, one Smith wrote to Findlay and one he wrote in return. The composite drawing of the carjacker was so generic that it raised suspicion. Even one of the more curious moments of their relationship -- her telling him on the day of the drownings that she had once slept with his father -- did not seem to have left him with any ill will toward her. When it comes to true crime, some of the cases that seem to shock people the most are also the most incomprehensible. Susan Smith, the mother who drowned her two sons in a lake in 1994 has been sending romantic letters to her boyfriends from the South Carolina prison where she is serving a life sentence. UNION, S.C. UNION, S.C. -- Visibility was only about a foot when Steve Morrow, a diver searching for a missing car, floated to the Burgundy Mazda that lay upside down in the cold water of John D. Long Lake last autumn. However, Susan Smith didnt leave it there. 'He told me, 'Watch your back,'' Findlay said. By November Smith announced she was pregnant again and the marriage had new life in it both literally and figuratively. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 18007997233 or TTY 18007873224. Smith's relationship with Findlay, the son of a wealthy mill owner, has provided the prosecution with its motive for the murders of her sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex. The mom of two made headlines at. Findlay recalled Smith being upset because David knew, or so she thought, some information that he was going to make public that upset her. Its unclear just what this was, while it would later be revealed that Smith had continued having sexual relations with her former stepfather. The relationship was by no means, normal and the couple was once again separated three weeks after the birth of their second child. Tom had caught Smith in a hot tub while making out with someone elses husband at a party. Williams testified about a conversation with Susan Smith on Oct. 17, eight days before the murders: "I have a problem," Smith said. Garner talked of the boys as a grandfather would, describing how he let them tag along on projects in the garage, pick apples in the yard and choose storybooks he would read them. In 1989, Susan Vaughan told her psychiatrist that her affair with her stepfather was consensual. Ostensibly, one for the remainder of her life. So what has Susan Smith's life been like for well over two decades? Under cross-examination by Pope, Russell acknowledged that consensual sexual relations with Ms. Smith resumed after she became a married mother. "The company did not do anything.". He was subsequently fired from his job and spent three months in jail after pleading guilty to the illicit sexual relationship. Susan Smith (ne Daniels 1961 [3] - June 8, 1989) was an American FBI informant. Social Services did very little, and after some family counseling, Bev was welcomed back into the home. . As the diver's testimony took the jury under the lake and inside the car, people in the courtroom gasped, some bowed their heads, and Mrs. Smith, charged with murder for drowning her sons by allowing her car to roll down a boat ramp and into the lake, chewed her nails and sobbed without making a sound. ``If I had known at the time what the results of my sins would be, I would have mustered the strength to behave according to my responsibility, he wrote. Findlay put an end to their relationship in the fall of 1994 but not before he told Smith that, per A&E, that part of their breakup had to do with the fact that he didn't want children. All rights reserved Bugged Space 2019-2022, Susan Smith and Tom Findlay; the boyfriend, Meet Andrea Yates; The Mother Who Murdered Her Children By Drowning Them One-By-One in The Bathtub, Man beats wife to death in front of kids, send a pic of the corpse. Company business required them to travel to Atlanta, New York, London and Frankfurt, Germany. After breaking up with David, Susan started working as a bookkeeper at the largest employer in the area, Conso Products. Smith interacted with young women who had risen through the company's ranks to sales and marketing jobs paying more than $30,000. Smith was convicted of two counts of murder and is serving a life sentence. ``To see unfolded before my eyes the principle of reaping and sowing, to lose Michael and Alex, to see you and (your mother) Linda crushed. He had her removed from the office. Though shes eligible for parole in just a few short years, it remains unclear whether Smith will be able to convince a parole board to release her, given the severity of her crimes and her prior record of infractions in prison. As a teenager, Susan was well-liked and outgoing. For nine days a search for her children took place. Life in prison would make her eligible for parole in 30 years. Though the then-teenager reported the ongoing sexual abuse twice to her high school counselor the first of which resulted in a brief separation between her stepfather, Beverly "Bev" Russell, Jr., who was a "prominent" member of the South Carolina Republican party, per TIME, and the state's Christian Coalition organization the charges were dropped. He, Joel Guy Jr., 28, murdered and dismembered his parents and attempted to dissolve their bodies in chemicals, after they told, Rachel Barber, 15, was drugged and strangled to death with a telephone cord in an attempt to steal her identity., Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her own neighbor and a good family friend, Robert Berchtold, a churchgoer and a frequent, According to local reports, Shane Goldsby, 26, was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison on Tuesday for the, Mitchell Quy stood and watched as the police searched for his missing wife, and he even joined the search himself., Arne Johnson's trial was the first known court case in the United States in which the defense attempted to prove. TOM FINDLAY'S TESTIMONY: He urged a jury Thursday to spare her life, saying he bore some of the responsibility for Ms. Smith's crime. This book is a quest for understanding -- for those close to Susan and for others. In 2015, she broke the silence with a letter written to the State Newspaper. She does not deserve to walk on the earth in which she denied her children. That is so far from the truth. Lived In Pittsburgh PA, Upper . Everything to Know About the Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Leader, The True Story Behind Hulu's 'Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence', Susan Smith, in Jail for Killing Her 2 Kids, Tells New Boyfriend She Wants To 'Start Fresh' if She's Paroled, Texas Woman Accused of Strangling Best Friend, Then Stealing Her Newborn Girl Expected to Plead Guilty, Susan Smith, Serving Life Term for Killing Her 2 Kids in 1994, Sends 'Romantic' Letters to New Boyfriend, Susan Smith, in Jail for Killing Her Kids, 'Is Talking Marriage' with New Boyfriend After Release, Everything to Know About 'Real Housewives' Star Jen Shah's Fraud Case. Even now Susan Smith maintains that it was only a temporary, albeit violent, break from her normal mental state that caused her to harm her children. And for that she was sentenced to life in prison -- with the chance of parole. Tom was her bosss son, and rather rich. Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Tallahassee murder, Held without charge, a Miami inmates unborn child asks court for release in odd case, One step led Tampa runner, Gasparilla entrant to big weight loss, huge life gains, Hillsborough must right-size its school system | Editorial, Barnett agrees to $11.4-million in refunds. Later she stated she wanted to kill her sons and herself. Due to a tumultuous marriage between her parents, full of aggression, they divorced when she was seven years old, and soon after, her father Harry, at the age of 37, committed suicide. Christie Smith, her former cellmate, says Smith paid her to procure drugs. "It has very much sent a devastating ripple through Conso and the community," said Jim Cooney, a company attorney. Susan J. ``We loved those kids like they were our own, Garner said through tears. Her stepfatherbegan sexually abusing her during her high school years, per the outlet. Plagued by lifelong trauma, she married David Smith at 19 to start a family of her own. She attended and graduated from Lexington High School in 1957. Although the high-pressure jobs have contributed to the breakup of some marriages, they are considered among the best in Union. Susan and David Smith were separated at the time and have since divorced. Bev was temporarily forced to move out of the family house. It drew countless visitors who wanted to take . When Susan Smith was sixteen years old her stepfather began to treat her differently he was sexually abusing her. The search gained national attention. As deeply depressed as she was that Tom had ended their relationship, she was still sexually involved with David - and with her step-father, Bev Russell. Inside Susan Smith's Life In Prison Today, were also covered by newspapers like The New York Times. "In perspective, that is a glitzy operation for people born in Union who have never traveled beyond the emotional boundaries of Union County. The notorious married mom who coldheartedly drowned her two adorable tots in 1994 has used cash from sleazy suitors and demented murder groupies to pay off prison pals to transform her into the cellblock . That is so far from the truth. Findlays testimony also provided another view of Susan Smiths ex-husband, David Smith. On Nov. 3, amid an intensive search, she confessed. The Disturbing Story Of Susan Smith, The Woman Who Drowned Her Children In A Lake. Print length 239 pages Language English Publisher Pinnacle Publication date August 1, 1996 Dimensions 4.25 x 0.75 x 7 inches ISBN-10 Donna Garner is Ms. Smiths closest friend. What Made a Mother Kill Her Young Son by Dropping Him Off a Bridge? Both Smith and Findlay worked at Conso. A death sentence means a choice of electrocution or injection. She was born on September 26th in 1971, the youngest of three kids. Apparently unconvinced by Smiths defense, the jury deliberated for two and a half hours on July 22, 1995, and quickly found her guilty. On the ninth day of the search, Susan and David appeared on all three national network morning news programs, declaring their innocence and pleading for the return of their children, Alex and Michael. Judge William Howard passed a box of tissues to a juror who wept during testimony from Walter Garner, who often cared for the boys with his wife, Barbara, and daughter, Donna Garner. 4,617 17 Nov 01, 2008 #1 SUSAN SMITH'S LETTER TO TOM FINDLAY Dear Tom, Just a note to say thank you for everything. "The company realizes that what happens has to be played out in the courts and that it does not have anything to do with Conso or its business," Cooney said. I was not myself," she continued. But the sympathy she gained quickly faded as the evidence began to show that she was responsible for her sons' deaths. She told her mother and Social Services what was being done to her. In regard to Cary Findlay giving up his job titles, he said S. Duane Southerland was hired as chief executive so Cary Findlay could spend more time on strategic planning. Tom Findlay and Smith were among five people who partied nude in a hot tub at Cary Findlay's estate Oct. 15, 10 days before the boys were drowned in a lake. In an attempt to get a quick confession, police confronted Smith and accused her of being involved in the disappearance of Michael and Alex. "I've seen Susan do everything. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. On the third day of the search, there seemed to be a breakthrough. All Rights Reserved. She ran to a nearby house acting frantic. When Smith initially claimed her boys had been kidnapped by a carjacker, Conso offered a $25,000 reward for tips about the alleged abductor. But their own family would prove to be an unhappy one as well. Cellmate Secrets: Susan Smith will air tonight at 10 ET/9 CT on Lifetime following the enhanced edition of the original Lifetime movie Doomsday Mom: The Lori Vallow Story at 8 ET/7 CT. The friend she said she was going to visit was not at her home that evening. On national TV, she sobbed as she described the false kidnapping, claiming the man seized control of her car as she waited at a stoplight, then forced her out at gunpoint and drove off with her sons. Susan Smith - Victim or Murderer tells the story of the crime that has captured the interest of the American people. Susan was secretly dating a man who didnt want children, so she decided to kill her children. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Mr. Findlay testified that when he called Mrs. Smith's house on one occasion, Mr. Smith snatched the phone from her. In 1994, Smith strapped her two sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex, into their car seats and pushed the vehicle into a lake. But then, she purposefully rolled her car into John D. Long Lake in Union County, South Carolina, and left them to die. Excerpts from a letter Susan Smith wrote to Tom Findlay on Oct. 17, and his reply, written the same day and given to her Oct. 18. Obituary. This horrified Tom even more. But more than the physical pleasure, he said, she loved. But in the end, Susan Smith chose murder. She thought he tapped her phones and followed her. He got on the phone and screamed at Findlay: Dont you talk with my wife, you son of a bitch. Linda confronted her husband about it. (Cary Findlay . Halleck said that she had sex with Tom Findlay, 28, the textile heir, but that he was not the main focus of her life. The letter included reasons to end their relationship, the reasons being differences in their backgrounds. Susan Smith and 6 Other Women Who Have Murdered Their Children. She is now working as a ward keeper assistant and interacts sparingly with other guards and inmates. ``When the line was crossed, I failed you, Linda, God and the rest of my family, Russell read from the letter. Reader discretion is advised. Refine Your Search Results. Findlay painted a picture of Susan Smith as a good friend and caring mother who was also suicidal and unstable. susan smith child killer prison photos 1 Twisted baby killer Susan Smith has gotten a glam makeover from her jailbird squad! Mayor Jane Castors partner vowed not to lobby the city. According to the magazine, however, the cards are stacked against her: aside from her status as a murderer, her criminal record which was obtained by People contained information which revealed Smith had "been disciplined at least five times for various infractions." On October 5, 1994, an unassuming 23-year-old woman named Susan Smith seized the national spotlight when she called police to report that her two children had been kidnapped by an anonymous Black man during a carjacking. Susan Smith's most intense extramarital affair was with a newfound employee at Conso Products in 1993. All Filters. The inconsistencies grew more and more, and on the eighth day, Susan changed her written statement, when police confronted her with a new reason, why her version of the supposed abduction didnt add up. He swore to never do it again and agreed to family therapy, but then kept abusing Susan who revealed as much in February 1988. Published on July 9, 2021 11:53 AM. But the account by Mr. Morrow, a diving expert with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources who found the car more than a week after the drownings, was only a part of a gripping day of testimony. Then, after insulting Findlay by claiming she slept with his father, he asked her to leave. UNION, S.C. (AP) _ Years after admitting he molested his stepdaughter Susan Smith when she was 16, Beverly Russell testified that they had consensual sex two months before she drowned her sons. He also testified that Susan Smith was intimidated by her husband. The sketch described half of the African American men who lived in the community. Tom Begaye Jr. left the 11-year-old child to die in the desert after "repeatedly hitting her on the head and face with a tire iron." . Susan Leigh Vaughan was born on September 26, 1971 in Union, South . They both came from families tormented by tragedy. Era lo . The story became international news, even landing on the cover of PEOPLE. She told the police, the media, and her family a lie, that her vehicle had been carjacked by a black man who drove away with her sons still inside. You can also find more information, resources, and support at www.thehotline.org. Jurors in Susan Smith's murder trial heard the words written by an ex-boyfriend that prosecutors say drove the young mother to kill her two sons: ``I just don't want children.'' In a letter to Smith written a week before 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex were drowned in a lake, Tom Findlay described her as ``intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, understanding.'' Search, she confessed counseling, Bev was welcomed back into the home choice to what. Smith had continued having sexual relations with Ms. Smith resumed after she became married... Who lived in the end, Susan Smith & # x27 ; s most intense affair. The friend she said she was born on September 26, 1971 in Union, South own. 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