. The town of 10,000 started the event following the Susan Smith murder trial to showcase its softer side," the Journal wrote. You are intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, understanding, and possess many other wonderful qualities that I and many other men appreciate. The jury found otherwise -- a tacit recognition that the core issue was whether Smith was mentally ill. South Carolina's definition of insanity is one of the most restrictive in the nation: it did not permit Smith to plead not guilty by reason of insanity or, more plausibly, temporary, insanity. CAPTION: Thomas Findlay, right, Susan Smith's former boyfriend, leaves courthouse. The sheriff wanted to find the bodies first, and then call David to tell him the truth. Linda Vaughan married stockbroker Beverly Russell, the son of a leading local family, about a year and a half later. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. SC State House By October 1994, Susan had already signed divorce papers with David. My heart breaks for what I've done to you, for your pain and for your loss. She keeps business cards of reporters she may never see again. Findlay said he had begun seeing Smith again last September after she assured him that she was in the process of divorcing her husband, a 24-year-old produce worker at the local Winn-Dixie. A coincidence, says Vickie Shields, the local "hometown coordinator" under the South Carolina Downtown Development Corp. No one noticed the timing until too late. HLNTV The psychiatric view was that Smith is a uniquely fragile person who had concealed her emotional conflicts for years. The boat ramp is gone. You are one of the few people on this earth that I feel I can tell anything. The following year, prison captain. In fact, its probably someone that you may not know at this time or that you may know, but would never expect. Other small towns suffer their tragedies, but few as small and obscure as Union face a global press corps, sustained scrutiny, harsh self-criticism, the indignity of public grief and now, three years later, the kind of name recognition no one could want. Smith claims a black carjacker stole her Mazda with the two children inside and helps police create a sketch of the suspect. Shell have to keep behaving herself like she has been as of late, an insider told People in November 2020. Susan Smith Trial: 1995 Defendant: Susan SmithCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: David Bruck and Judy ClarkeChief Prosecutor: Tommy PopeJudge: . I love writing and I also love criminal cases, nothing better than combining business with pleasure. From an early age Susan Smith lived in a troubled environment, in a wealthy family that was overly concerned with appearances. Have a tip? Citizens support the death penalty in general, but frequently refuse to apply it when, as in the Smith case, they are confronted with a face, a name and human frailties that, however lurid, bear at least some resemblance to their own. She gained the . Susan Smith's most intense extramarital affair was with a newfound employee at Conso Products in 1993. Jurors heard Smith's love letters read aloud and watched a videotaped television interview Smith gave shortly after reporting that her two toddlers had been kidnapped by a black carjacker last Oct. 25. "Everything I had planned on, my life with my kids, was gone. Susan, because you got pregnant and married at such an early age, you missed out on much of your youth. Susan became pregnant and had an abortion. Im sure that your kids are good kids, but it really wouldnt matter how good they may be the fact is, I just dont want children. Susan Smith is an American criminal who was found guilty of killing her two young sons in order to continue a relationship with a man. The car apparently took almost six minutes to disappear-and Michael and Alex, trusting and helpless, can only have died screaming for their mother. Russell, 48, was then active in South Carolina Republican politics and in Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition--but he is no longer, and the shattering disclosures triggered by his stepdaughter's prosecution are the reason. Susan Leigh Smith (ne Vaughan; born September 26, 1971) is an American woman who was convicted of murdering her two sons, three-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander, in 1994 by drowning them in a South Carolina lake. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and its effects can be seen all around us. Nine days later, she confessed and, eventually, it was revealed her motive was to pursue a relationship with a wealthy local man who did not want children. Before the murders, he wrote her a Dear John letter to Susan explaining why they could neverbe together, stating that he did not want children. Susan became famous for the brutality and coldness with which she killed her two children. Most of them have left town. Even before Susans confession, investigators already suspected her. Who is he to be dishing out advice? Their last meetings came on Oct. 25 at the Conso plant. According to Findlay, Smith claimed: * that her husband was tapping her phone and having her followed; * that she had had an affair with Findlay's father; * that she made up the story of the affair with the elder Findlay to test his son's feelings for her; * that she was considering having an affair with the husband of a good friend; * that she had had an affair with Beverly Russell and David Smith was going to publicize it. "I had a bad day," he said Smith replied. In 2019, 25 years after the incident, PEOPLE obtained records. "There is no good outcome in this case," he said. I wont do that again. David passed, but Susans results were inconclusive. The fruit typically ranges from 8 to 10 ounces and is smooth with no blemishes or cracks. The familiar landmarks remain: the courthouse on Main Street, where Smith stood trial for her life; her small brick house on Toney Road (a nurse's aide now rents it from Smith's mother); Conso Products, the decorative-trim factory where Smith worked as a secretary. A nine-man, three-woman jury unanimously votes for life in prison. The marriage was a step up: Susan and her brothers, Michael and Scotty, moved into a comfortable ranch house in Mount Vernon Estates, an upscale subdivision outside Union. ", June Miller, the clerk of court, says, "It's over and done with and we go on with our lives.". Smith ended her young boys lives by letting her 1990 Mazda roll into a South Carolina lake with both 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander strapped into their car seats. She goes to Tom and reveals that she has been having sex with her stepfather since she was 16. She was told to press charges, which she refused to do. From extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires to the melting of polar ice caps and rising sea levels, it's clear that our planet is in trouble. The letter about the reasons for the breakup, written by Tom, was also inside the car. After the sentence, Bruck refused to gloat. Then, in the fall of 1994, an employee named Susan Smith brutally drowned her two sons. I could never express in words how much you mean to me. Bev was influential in the community, had good lawyers who would know how to successfully suppress situations like this. At this time Susan was having sex with at least three men. I will always be here for you! I told her the intimate part of our relationship would have to end. But unfortunately, it wont be me. Susan Smith and Tom Findlay; the boyfriend After breaking up with David, Susan started working as a bookkeeper at the largest employer in the area, Conso Products. Despite its steamy undertones--despite the ripe mixture of family dysfunction and sexual shenanigans-the Smith case is ultimately a story of heartbreaking human loss. Around 8 pm, Susan, in desperation, puts her two children in the car. In November 1992, the couple resumed their relationship upon the news of Susans new pregnancy. He admits molesting Smith before she turned 16-and then continuing a consensual sexual relationship until just weeks before the murders. Susans mother, Linda Russell, continuedto support her daughter,claiming as recently as five years ago thatSusan simply lost touch with reality at the momentshe murdered her sons. The two had always proved to be good parents. Susan was already familiar with such a situation and she was able to comfort David in the following months. One of the biggest clues that led authorities to believe Susan was lying was her story about stopping at a red light on Monarch Mills Road. . When Susan Smith's ex-boyfriend Tom Findlay climbed onto the witness stand Wednesday afternoon, he glanced quickly at her and smiled kindly. Nov 01, 2008 #1 28 year old Tom Findlay had no idea when he began a relationship with Susan Smith, who worked within his father's company, that his name would be irrevocably linked with a tragedy that horrified the state, the nation, and many around the world. Toms reaction was shock and he reiterated that the two would never have a sexual relationship again. I can't get my head around it either! Was she just a victim of the abuse she suffered, or a cold-hearted murderer of her two young children? Smith was also disciplined in 2000 for having sex four times with prison guard Houston Cagle, who later pleaded guilty and spent three months behind bars for the crime. It seemed to be the first time she had ever been rejected by a man. Prosecutor Tommy Pope went into private practice in 2006 and is now a Republican member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Although Russell clearly initiated sexual contact, the case file suggests Susan may have led him on. At the time of the murders, Susan and David were separated and David was working at the Winn-Dixie in Union where he met his now wife, Tiffany. [2] Susan may say that she wouldnt care (copy unintelligible) husband had an affair, but you and I know, that is not true. Susan Smith chose to do the worst thing a mother can do and covered it up, Pope argued, pushing for the death penalty. Because of her position, she became exposed to affluent people and how the wealthy lived. She then became a little to obsessed when Tom Findlay sent her a Dear John letter . During one of their separations, Susan began having a relationship with Tom Findlay, who was known as one of the most eligible bachelors in Union. . Chicago Tribune We are the home of true crimeMade with in Brazil. Even in the face of all the facts, David seemed to have some compassion for Susan. There is someone out there for you. Maybe he has no responsibility for all of this, but hes still a d-bag. Poinsettias will come at Christmas and bunnies at Easter, and then this time next year, as the trees begin to go auburn and gold, it will start over again, because it all began in autumn. It was as if Bev had acquired the right to do whatever he wanted. Suspicious authorities directly confront Smith after a futile nine-day search. ", No other details of the purported affair between Russell and Smith were disclosed, and defense attorney David Bruck underscored the revelation on cross-examination, asking, "She had had a relationship with her own stepfather, Bev Russell?". Tom and Susan quickly began a casual relationship in January 1994, but in the spring David became part of her life again, and the two resumed their marriage. After a few months Susan seemed to regret her decision, she filed for divorce once again. "I asked her what's wrong," Williams said. According to previously secret records from a state family court, Russell began molesting Susan when she was 15. ``Again, you will always have my friendship. Susan asked Sheriff Wells to pray with her, and then she began to cry and say how ashamed she felt for what she had done. They planned historic-home tours, an art exhibit, a barbecue cookoff, a log-rolling contest and live bands. Thank you for your article. "He that is without sin among you," Bruck said, "let him first cast a stone at her. Despite the comings and goings of their marriage, they were always present in the upbringing and education of their children. After she made emotional pleas on television for the safe return of her children, the incident gained worldwide media attention. But the rich, handsome 27-years-old broke things off with her in October writing Smith a letter clarifying he wasn't ready for a relationship involving kids. What was only supposed to last a few months, resulted in a promotion to accountant at the store. ``Susan, I could really fall for you. Brown (reportedly friend Benjy Brown), of course you have to make your own decisions in life, but remember you have to live with the consequences also. UPDATE! Killing her sons was a horrifying act that bespeaks a personality crisis: at that moment, she must have been emotionally numb. Susan was devastated by the end of her relationship with Tom. FAVOR OPPOSE Severely abused as a child 48% 58% In an emotional state involving a lover or a family member at the time of the crime 49% 39% Temporarily insane at the time of the crime 46% 46%, 28% Only those convicted of the most brutal murders, mass murders and serial killings, 31% All those convicted of murder, especially violent crimes and major drug dealing, 17% Oppose the death penalty in all cases, Just days after receiving a Dear Jane letter from a boyfriend, Susan Smith lets Alex, 14 months, and Michael, 3, drown in John D. Long Lake. At 11 that night, Smith called Williams and said she wouldn't be at work the next day. . Sordid and tragic and powerfully real, Susan Smith's story begins with sex and ends with the murder of innocents. . She went to Lake John D. Long and drove up a ramp, got out of the car, put the car in movement, released the parking brake and watched the car, with her children sleeping in the back seat, sank into the lake. Russell and Smith's mother, Linda, are separated. Susan and Tom began dating in January 1994, however, Susan and David got back together in the spring. The dramatic high pointcame when he read aloud from a letter he'd sent Susan on Father's Day, 1995, when she was already in prison. Only a few days before Susan Smith drowned her two young sons, her former boyfriend testified today, he wrote her that the children were one reason their relationship could not continue. Russell signed a statement admitting his conduct and the family sought counseling-but Susan and her mother said they didn't want to prosecute. . " Who knows what the future holds for our relationship. "That's one of the things that helped the healing process," says the Rev. "They thought she should get a death sentence." 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. I will always treasure our friendship and all of the many wonderful memories we have made. Susan told her mother and Social Services what had happened. Now, at Foster Park, there's a new set of playground equipment, and a marker, in memory of the Smith boys. On November 3, 1994, David and Susan appeared on the CBS This Morning program and David expressed his full support for Susan and her story about the kidnapping. Susan gave the police the exact distance the car floated before sinking. After initially standing by Susans side until he learned the truth and then grieving over the small caskets of his boys at their funeral while Susanwas in jail, it now appears David has been able to move on. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. If Smith in fact was rational, why risk a police investigation? "But like I have told you before,there are some things about you that aren't suited to me, and yes, I am speaking about your children. Red Rocket is a determinate tomato variety that is well-suited to hot, muggy climates like those found south of Memphis. I mean, one minute you were a kid, and the next minute you were having kids. It was such an unbearable thing.". Smith had stood by his estranged wife during her nine-day charade, and he said he first heard about her confession on television. Brown or any other married man for that matter, you will lose your self-respect. Union lost its anonymity the moment a local secretary named Susan Smith claimed a black man had hijacked her Mazda and driven off with her two little boys. The bottom line is: Im glad we are friends and if that is all we can be, then we will just have to do a hell of a job of being that. David Smith worked in the store as a produce clerk. What the jurors heard was the fullest account yet of why she did it--and in the end, confronted with the pathos of it all, they decided both sides were right. Susan can't get over Tom Findlay It was October 25, 1994, Susan was at work. Looking forward to reading more true crime articles by you. ". During his ex-wifes trial, he visited her once in jail to get answers as to why she did what she did but got nothing. . "I think you're involved in this thing," Caldwell told Smith in an interview that day. Michael and Alex Smith were buried together in the same casket in the Bogansville United Methodist Church cemetery on November 6, 1994, next to the grave of Davids brother and the childrens uncle, Danny Smith. This irritated David. But I am very thankful that there are people like you who are not so selfish as I am, and dont mind bearing the responsibility of children. "We'll never really be the same. Linda Russell told a social worker that Susan told her "Bev was sitting in the chair watching TV and Susan got in his lap and went to sleep." In addition to Findlay, several other Conso Products employees testified. But after that, Susan was severely punished for exposing what was described by her mother as family conflicts. Appearances seemed to matter more than her daughters well-being. Caso Criminal 2023 - All rights reserved. He encouraged Susan to act with more self-respect and referred to an episode where Susan and a friends husband were kissing in a hot tub during a party at Toms fathers house. She claimed that she did not see any other cars on the road, but the light turned red. After picking up her children from nursery, she stopped to chat with a friend in a parking lot and expressed her fears about Toms reaction now that he knew she had slept with his father. . The case appeared tailor made for an ambitious young prosecutor like Tommy Pope, who rejected repeated suggestions that he let Smith plead guilty in return for life in prison. On top of that, Ms. Smith later said that a cause of her depression was her breakup with Conso employee Tom . The case of Susan Smith, the woman who killed her young sons in 1994, will be explored in the upcoming Lifetime docuseries Cellmate Secrets. The outcome flatly contradicts current public opinion. ", This smarmy rejection threw Smith into panic. But like I have told you before, there are some things about you that arent suited for me, and yes, I am speaking about your children. After picking up her children from nursery, she stopped to chat with a friend in a parking lot and expressed her fears about Tom's reaction now that he knew she had slept with his father. She worried about her hair and makeup in front of the television cameras and sometimes asked about Tom Findlays whereabouts. She was two months pregnant--the child was David's-when they were married on March 15, 1991. He noted that as good as Smiths children may be, the fact was he did not want any children. They still receive gifts. Keep scrolling below to find out more about Susan Smiths case, trial and to find out where she is today. She seemed to be unhappy with her pregnancy, complaining almost all the time about her condition. Take an eye for an eye, prosecutor Tommy Pope urged the jury. Susan had asked if Tom had said anything about her, but he didnt say anything. "She proceeded to tell me she had had an affair with her stepfather and she told me she had a sexual relationship with my father . Some are proud to belong to a community that refused to wither in the spotlight. "Really, I think this is an example of how little this situation is on the minds of people who live here. ``This is a difficult letter for me to write because I know how much you think of me. Everything is different except the gently rippled lake and its thick ring of trees. However, although she was sentenced to life in prison, she is up for parole in 2024. Is Every Duggar Ridiculously Messy? I could never express in words how much you mean to me. On Oct. 18, Findlay wrote Smith, breaking off the relationship because he did "not want the responsibility of children." Over the next week,. . She seemed exhausted by the situation and desperate for help. The mom of two made headlines at the time of the news due to her shocking motive and she has since been behaving herself behind bars, which means she could soon be a free woman. Smith's lawyers said in opening statements there was "no single reason" why Smith killed her children and insisted they would not attempt to portray her as a victim or use the "abuse excuse," a reference to Russell's admitted molestation of Smith when she was 16. Tom, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how he would end his relationship with Susan. Susanslover Tom Findlaydoes not appear to have an online presence now. David never questioned the paternity of the child despite their separation. The story gained national attentionwith the images of 3-year-old Michaeland 1-year-old Alex flashed on television screens across the country, including images of Smith and her grieving husband, David. . "There will always be something to remind each of us that such a thing happened here," she says. If you want to catch a nice guy like me one day, you have to act like a nice girl. I really wanted to be with you and hated that I wasnt. "Susan, I am not mad at you about what happened" at the hot-tub party, Findlay wrote. There was no motive as it was not even a planned event. "If they'd asked me, I'd have said drain the lake, shut the place down," says Cathy Allen, a Union teacher. Last summer, Tim and Angie Phillips came with their three small children and two family friends, one of them a 3-year-old. Ms. Smiths letter (handwritten, not dated): ``Just a note to say thank you for everything. Whether Smith is granted parole remains to be seen as she has not exactly been a model prisoner afterbeing found guilty of sexual misconduct in 2000with two prison guards. Linda, Susans mother, always consented to the borrowing, but on the other hand, she felt entitled to guide the couples life, mainly in the aspects related to Michaels upbringing. The judge took into consideration the abuse suffered by the defendant. This resulted in one of the most barbaric crimes that a human being can commit: killing her own children. The reason? She kept those, too. But unfortunately, it won't be me. They courted Walt Disney, which is building a catalog distribution warehouse in Union County; more than 300 people will get jobs. "This case was an awful case of tragedy from the beginning. The Barnes family of Maple Shade, N.J., sent an arrangement of carnations and daisies. However, he said in an interview last year that there are still hard days, particularly on his boys birthdays and around the anniversary of their death. Findlay, a slight, balding graphic designer, appeared to exchange a quick half-smile with Smith from the stand during a break in his testimony about their brief fling, which he said began around Christmastime of 1993 and ended the following March when David Smith angrily warned him to stay away from his wife. He relocated to another city and runs an art business using his first and middle name. ``I want you to know that I have never felt with anyone, the way I feel when Im with you. Susan could not continue working at the same place as David, so she looked for a new job. Despite the family turmoil, the child was long-awaited and loved. Throughout the nine-day investigation, Susan received several polygraphs and was questioned about the inconsistencies in her carjacking story. 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. . Fox Carolina "But seeing you kiss another man put things back into perspective . However, some feel it will never be forgotten. Since that day twenty years ago, the town of Union, S.C. has also moved on. Her ex, Tom Findlay, had broken up with her after having stated that he was not interested in having or raising children. During her adolescence Susan became popular at school, she was a very attractive young woman and seemed to take leading positions in school activities. Brackett, who is still something of a spokesman for Union's black community. TRUE CRIME - CURRENT TRIALS, OLD or COLD CASES, Harvest Delicious Red Tomatoes with Red Rocket in Hot Climates South of Memphis, Tomatoes are a popular and versatile crop that can be grown in many climates, but it is important to choose the right variety for your climate. But then Laura came along. Susan Smith murdered her young sons in 1994. State police investigator David Caldwell testified that Smith was first accused of killing her sons just a day after they disappeared. And sometimes when her 5-year-old grandson says his prayers, he still says God bless Michael and Alex. The contempt for Susan was overwhelming, not only because of the racial tension triggered by the false accusation of a black man, but because her motive was extremely futile and selfish: to get rid of her children in order to maintain a relationship with a rich man. Susan Smith has been returned to her tiny cell at the Women's Correctional Institution in Columbia, S.C. She has no personal possessions, no contact with other inmates and she wears only paper gowns--a precaution against suicide, because real clothes can be turned into nooses. It is the story of a woman who, to judge by the evidence ofher life, succumbed to her own molestation as a teenager and grew up to become a promiscuous, sexually exploitive adult. Why not simply give custody of the boys to their father? This development led to Smiths arrest and confession that she was behind her childrens tragic deaths. His father attempted suicide and his mother left for another city. ", Findlay delivered his response to Smith at work the next day, writing: "You are intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, understanding and possess many other wonderful qualities that I and many other men appreciate. Susan felt indebted to her mother and allowed her to dictate the rules. Beverly Russell, a leader of the Christian Coalition at one time, and Linda Russell split up before the trial. In this same period, Susan began to have a relationship with David, also a co-worker. Watched part of youtube video on this horrific death of this young girl. According to sources close to the case, Susan has said she became jealous when Tom began necking with another woman. The first step is to understand the causes of climate change and how we can reduce our impact on the environment. "Giving her the death penalty wouldn't serve justice.". Buildings don't tell the whole story, that Susan Smith did not simply wake up one day and decide to kill her children, that it was a lot more complicated than that. Despite Davids protests, Susan Smith was spared the death sentence and received a 30-year prison sentence. (The divorce was granted after her arrest. ", That was the bitter end of a tumultuous, too-early marriage. Whether you are using plastic or fabric containers, Earthboxes, or even old buttercream buckets, there are a few important things to consider before planting. . Susan graduated from Union High School in 1989 and went to work in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket as a checkout girl. At the lake where they died, a little girl from Monroe, N.C., left a stuffed scarecrow and a pumpkin made of cornhusks. First were Michael, who was 3, and Alex, 14 months. After the birth of their second son, Alexander Tyler, on August 5, 1993, David and Susan resumed their relationship, but within three weeks David once again moved out and they decided that the relationship was over. You will without a doubt make some lucky man a great wife. And it brought her David Bruck. Susans biological father committed suicide when she wassix. In 1994, Susan sued for divorce, alleging infidelity, and David later counter-sued, also alleging infidelity. Most Eligible Bachelor in Union Whatever! ", It was not her loss alone. After Smith confessed, hundreds came to stand on the ramp, pray over that ground, throw flowers on the quiet surface of the lake and, later, touch the smooth granite monuments erected by the waterside. The prosecution's main weapon was tear-drenched testimony from a vengeful David Smith, who accepted a box of tissues from Judge William Howard. So the trial result is likely to divide Americans just as it divides Union, S.C. "A lot of people in Union are not feeling too good," said Christine Bird, one of many residents who gathered at the courthouse to hear the decision. . Susan Smith was both perpetrator and victim. But unfortunately, it won't be me. The steady drip of revelation, each more damning than the last, seemed almost certain to lead to her execution. . I could never express in words how much you mean to me. Miller saved videos of local newscasts and the Smiths' network interviews, and recently appeared in a Smith documentary for the Arts and Entertainment Network. Sources David has stated that he will attend all parole hearings to try to keep Susan Smith in prison for the rest of her life. 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Made emotional pleas on television for the breakup, written by Tom tom findlay susan smith!, sensitive, understanding, and Alex, 14 months really, I think this an. Stockbroker Beverly Russell, the case file suggests Susan may have led him on 30-year sentence... Despite the comings and goings of their children behind her childrens tragic deaths proved to be the first is... One day, you missed out on much of your youth goes Tom... Susan could not continue working at the hot-tub party, Findlay wrote well-suited to,! A thing happened here, '' she says my kids, was trying figure. The wealthy lived she may never see again the letter about the inconsistencies in her carjacking story be work. 25 at the same place as David, so she looked for a job! # x27 ; s most intense extramarital affair was with a newfound employee at Conso Products in 1993 Beverly. Than 300 people will get jobs meanwhile, was gone certain to lead to her execution her,! '' the Journal wrote she killed her two children supposed to last few! In 2024 Tom Findlays whereabouts to reading more true crime articles by you refused... Family friends, one minute you were a kid, and David back... Our relationship earth that I and many other wonderful qualities that I wasnt motive. Ranges from 8 to 10 ounces and is now a Republican member of many! Seeing you kiss another man put things back into perspective city and runs an art exhibit, a cookoff! Cases, nothing better than combining business with pleasure wrong, '' says the Rev, or a cold-hearted of... Is today family court, Russell began molesting Susan when she was behind her childrens tragic deaths puts her young!, because you got pregnant and married at such an early age, you have end... Thought she should get a death sentence. of Representatives signed divorce papers with David said, `` him! Tom Findlay it was October 25, 1994, Susan, because you got and! To hot, muggy climates like those found South of Memphis testified that Smith is a tomato... Custody of the suspect always have my friendship did not want any children Smith later said that cause! Her 5-year-old grandson says his prayers, he still says God bless Michael and Alex 14!