Other key figures in the case have gone on to both fame and failure. Around 8 pm, Susan, in desperation, puts her two children in the car. Toms reaction was shock and he reiterated that the two would never have a sexual relationship again. Allen, for one, doesn't need reminders. On October 25, 1994, the Union native, who was 23 years old at the time, called the police and claimed an armed black man stole her car and drove off with her two sons inside. And I dont want to be responsible for anyone elses (sic) children, either. I was not myself, she wrote in a letter to, in 2015. The case of Susan Smith, the woman who killed her young sons in 1994, will be explored in the upcoming Lifetime docuseries Cellmate Secrets. See the 'Counting On' Kids' Houses, Look How Much the Little Couple's Kids Will and Zoey Have Grown Up, Every Look From the Kardashian-Jenner Family at the 2021 Met Gala, Gabby Petito's Texts Show 'More and More Tension' With Brian Laundrie, 'Welcome to Plathville' Kim Plath's DUI Case Closed: Fine, More Details, Sister Wives Kody, Robyn Were With a Mystery Blonde: Identity Revealed, Megan Fox and MGK's Relationship Is 'Toxic': 'There Is Concern for Her', Farrah Abraham Slams Mom-Shamers Over Daughter Sophias Piercings, Jon Gosselin Is 'Open' With Kids Collin, Hannah About Their Dating Lives. The letter gave reasons justifying the end of the relationship. And you know, nice girls dont sleep with married men. Findlay ended their relationship one week before Smith reported the children missing and he later gave investigators a copy of the letter in which he explained his feelings. She then became a little to obsessed when Tom Findlay sent her a Dear John letter . Why not simply give custody of the boys to their father? While being treated in the hospital, she admitted that she had already attempted suicide when she was thirteen. Susan had a troubled childhood, which was plagued with suicide attempts and traumatizing events. Barring an appeal, she will be in prison for at least 80 years- condemned not to die, but to live with her ghastly memories. For those who've been before, the changes will show. On October 25, 1994, a then 23-year-old married mother of two sons, Susan Smith of Union, South Carolina, rolledher car into John D. Long Lake with herboys strapped inside, drowningthem both. Such a position also gave her the chance to get close to her boss son, one of Unions most desired bachelors, Tom Findlay. Plastic or resin containers are usually reasonably priced and large enough for indeterminate tomatoes, but fabric containers, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, LETTER FROM SUSAN SMITH TO TOM FINDLAY - HIS LETTER IN RESPONSE. They were buckled into their car seats when their mother stepped out, lowered the emergency brake and let the car roll down the steep ramp, into the deep water. . Killing her sons was a horrifying act that bespeaks a personality crisis: at that moment, she must have been emotionally numb. night and would take it back in a (heart-shaped design) beat if I could. Some are proud to belong to a community that refused to wither in the spotlight. He relocated to another city and runs an art business using his first and middle name. Either way, before you settle down with anyone again, there is something you need to do. The fruit typically ranges from 8 to 10 ounces and is smooth with no blemishes or cracks. Despite the comings and goings of their marriage, they were always present in the upbringing and education of their children. "I think you're involved in this thing," Caldwell told Smith in an interview that day. I know I did when we were messing around earlier this year. All Rights Reserved. At the lake where they died, a little girl from Monroe, N.C., left a stuffed scarecrow and a pumpkin made of cornhusks. . The ramp led nine people to their deaths. My heart breaks for what I've done to you, for your pain and for your loss. "Susan, I could really fall for you," he continued. Who knows what the future holds for our relationship. That man, Tom Findlay, took the stand and read a letter he had written to Smith breaking off their relationship. "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. UNION, S.C. - Michael would have turned 6 last month, and Alex by now would be 4. The couple asked Linda for another loan to buy a property, but what was supposed to bring happiness only left Susan more and more distant. And your friendship is one that I will always look upon with sincere affection. So, where are all of the key players now, including the woman at the center of it all? With Findlay, Susan finally believed she would be able to have some stability in her life but, she was mistaken. ``Susan, I could really fall for you. Im appreciative of your honesty with me. And Susan Smith thought she had him hooked. Susan can't get over Tom Findlay It was October 25, 1994, Susan was at work. Even in the face of all the facts, David seemed to have some compassion for Susan. TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 1994 _ Susan Smith's boyfriend, Tom Findlay, breaks off their relationship saying he doesn't want the responsibility of children. 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. She kept those, too. The town of 10,000 started the event following the Susan Smith murder trial to showcase its softer side," the Journal wrote. "We agreed the intimate part of our relationship should be postponed till she was divorced," Findlay testified. Hours later, a co-worker called to ask if he had heard the news about Susan-- and Findlay's first thought was, "Oh my God, she's killed herself. 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. . "Really, I think this is an example of how little this situation is on the minds of people who live here. Susan graduated from Union High School in 1989 and went to work in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket as a checkout girl. Initially, Smith told authorities a black man had carjacked her and kidnapped the boys. This resulted in one of the most barbaric crimes that a human being can commit: killing her own children. Then she drove out to John D. Long Lake and let her maroon Mazda Protege roll into the reddish-brown water. If you want to catch a nice guy like me one day, you have to act like a nice girl. Brackett is grateful for the fellowship that grew from the Smith case. In. Many people believe her motive was because she was dating a man who didnt want children at the time. 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. . ``Again, you will always have my friendship. Smith was separated from her now-ex-husband, and started dating. A woman named Shirley Crask left a pot of mums. The highway sign simply reads John D. Long Lake. Linda Vaughan married stockbroker Beverly Russell, the son of a leading local family, about a year and a half later. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She also had dramatic moments of deep sobbing, but remained dry-eyed and tearless. Williams testified about a conversation with Susan Smith on Oct. 17, eight days before the murders: "I have a problem," Smith said. They also heard from state and federal investigators who told of Smith's fake tears, curious smiles and furious outbursts as they confronted her with the mounting evidence that she was involved in the disappearance of 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex Smith. "She was scared of David," Findlay testified. The two had always proved to be good parents. She seemed exhausted by the situation and desperate for help. ", Paul Patrick, a florist, says, "It was a real tragedy but I don't think anybody's still dwelling on it three years later. Was she just a victim of the abuse she suffered, or a cold-hearted murderer of her two young children? Nearly 30 years after her conviction, Smith's cellmate is speaking out and . The judge took into consideration the abuse suffered by the defendant. Tom Findlay, 28, is a graphic designer who works in his father's firm. "Every time we think it's all behind us, it comes up again," says June Miller, Union County's longtime clerk of court. ``Even though you think we have much in common, we are vastly different. The following year, prison captain. They planned historic-home tours, an art exhibit, a barbecue cookoff, a log-rolling contest and live bands. The reason? I was a good mother, and I loved my boys. Findlay ended their relationship one week before Smith reported the. She reddened slightly and stared back at him. The jury was 11-1 in favor of life in prison when it began deliberating her sentence, and the lone hard-liner finally joined the majority. 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. Susan stood by and watched until the car was completely submerged. The idea that she would kill her . When a place has been forced to defend itself before the eyes of the world, there is no road map for recovery. During the trial's penalty phase, the courtroom became a-battleground for the two competing views of the defendant-the scheming vixen and the emotionally damaged post-adolescent. Which is the lie? ``I know how you feel about our relationship and I respect that. Despite Davids protests, Susan Smith was spared the death sentence and received a 30-year prison sentence. ", That was the bitter end of a tumultuous, too-early marriage. A.L. One diver described seeing the little hand of one of the children pressed against a window. Tom Findlay is the son of Cary Findlay, president of the company. Employees of Winn-Dixie, the grocery store where David Smith worked, paid for it as a lasting tribute. Burning fossil fuels for energy rel, Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Essential Tips for a Successful Harvest, Growing tomatoes in containers is a great way to enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables without taking up too much space. 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. 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. She was later promoted to the executive secretary position, as she was dating Tom Findlay, the son of her boss. Shell have to keep behaving herself like she has been as of late, an insider told People in November 2020. Chicago Tribune As I told you, I was starting to let my heart warm up to the idea of us going out as more than just friends. To be the perfect woman for a rich man. Both Smith and Findlay worked at Conso. Since that day twenty years ago, the town of Union, S.C. has also moved on. "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 . Before she and David began to date, Susan told a psychiatrist, she had an affair with a store manager who was subsequently transferred out of town. Smith was separated from her now-ex-husband, and started dating Tom Findlay, whose father owned the mill she worked at. In the past nine years, Smith has been disciplined at least five times, including self-mutilation and the use and possession of narcotics or marijuana. 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. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. He rejected book deals and interviews and anything related to Susan, moved back to Alabama, where he grew up, and by all accounts is a successful artist. ``It is 11:50 p.m. and I am getting very sleepy. But just dont get seriously involved with anyone until you have done the things in life that you want to do, first. After the first sentence, insert eyes rolling in parentheses. They made a point of showing jurors the videotaped interviews in which Smith tearfully maintained the kidnapping hoax. 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. Recently, someone gave them a toy truck, a tiny plastic horse, two pinwheels (one for each brother), a plaster angel kneeling in prayer, a $2 bouquet of supermarket flowers and miniature wind chimes, left to tinkle softly in the country graveyard. Brazilian, 28 years old, medical professional. Although Russell clearly initiated sexual contact, the case file suggests Susan may have led him on. He also reiterated that at no point, he suggested that her children were the only obstacle in any potential relationship with her., Something went very wrong that night. They still credit him for containing a potentially volatile racial divide by refusing to detain the many black men who might have fit Smith's description of her hijacker. In a day filled with dramatic testimony, Smith sat blank-faced as witnesses took the stand and painted a conflicting portrait of the 23-year-old defendant as a vixenish adulteress, a lovesick secretary, an abused child, a frightened wife, a skillful liar and a doting mother. This happened when David and Susan's marriage was in jeopardy and had already filed for divorce. Her saga of suicide attempts and molestation and depression and marital deception is embodied in those closest to the case. Her father committed suicide when she was 7 years old. 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. 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. I want you to know that I will always love and care for you for the rest of my life. Susan became famous for the brutality and coldness with which she killed her two children. ", The urge to kill in the name of justice poses infernally tricky issues-and the outcome in the Smith case may be the clearest evidence yet of America's persistent ambivalence about capital punishment. I mean Bev was getting around having sex with his wife and dauther for not days or weeks or months, but for years! He is known to some local young women as "The Catch." Tom Findlay testified as a prosecution witness at the trial-for. The letter is a classic of its caddish kind; Findlay read it aloud in court. At this point she seemed to get everything she wanted, especially about relationships with men. You will, without a doubt, make some lucky man a great wife. Shell have to keep behaving herself like she has been as of late, an insider told, Smith was also disciplined in 2000 for having sex four times with prison guard, , who later pleaded guilty and spent three months behind bars for the crime. 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. According to a deposition taken in March in connection with Susan and David's divorce (which became final in May), soon after she began working at Conso Products in 1993, Susan took up with. 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. Tom Findlay's letter, as gentle as it tried to be, had brought Susan Smith in direct and brutal contact with her own lies, deceit, narcissism, and lust. Yet, he said Life is much better now, and noted that he is doing well. Her confession of pushing the car into the lake began to come out. In his Dear John letter, he was honest with the girl and told her they would never be together although I did think he sounds like a total D-bag (re: ..maybe somebay youll meet a nice guy like me. Whatever!). The married man broke off their extramarital relationship and her reaction to the breakup was to attempt suicide by taking painkillers. By the late summer of 1994, Susan told the defense's psychiatrists, she was sexually involved with four different men--Bey Russell, David Smith, Tom Findlay and Tom's father, Cary. Something went very wrong that night. 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. With the promotion came a new life for Susan. . Is Every Duggar Ridiculously Messy? Cellmate Secrets premieres Friday, June 4, at 10 p.m. on Lifetime. But seeing you kiss another man put things back into perspective. But like I have told you before, there are some things about you that aren't suited for me, and yes, I am speaking about your children. Where is Bev Berverly Russell? The children received love, attention, and were very happy. If Smith in fact was rational, why risk a police investigation? This development led to Smiths arrest and confession that she was behind her childrens tragic deaths. TOM FINDLAY'S TESTIMONY: also pleaded guilty to having sex with Smith and was sentenced to five years probation. On top of that, Ms. Smith later said that a cause of her depression was her breakup with Conso employee Tom . Susans biological father committed suicide when she wassix. Susan and Tom began dating in January 1994, however, Susan and David got back together in the spring. " Cladwell said Smith then began crying, said she wanted to go home, and stalked out, hollering in the hallway of the sheriff's office: "I just can't believe they think I did it.". Tom Findlay, get over yourself..youre really not all that attractive anyway. In late October and early November 1994, the town of Union, S.C., ceased to be just another speck on the map. She is currently based at the Leath Correctional Institution near Greenwood, South Carolina. Follow me on Instagram down below. ``Thank you for being there for me through all the rough times. She keeps business cards of reporters she may never see again. For nine days, she pleaded for the safe return of her babies while making appearances on television, only to have the true story later be revealed. In the years since the murders, Davidhas switchedto a career as a commercial truck driver, moved 25 miles away from Union to the town of Moore, S.C., married Tiffany in 2003 and became the father to a girl and a boy, Savannah and Nicolas. Chicago Tribune. Susan, because you got pregnant and married at such an early age, you missed out on much of your youth. . "There will always be something to remind each of us that such a thing happened here," she says. Patrick is in there. She was in a bit of a hurry, as her goal at the time was a new marriage to Tom. "He's got my babies," Smith said. ``Friends Forever, (two heart-shaped designs). October 10, 1991 was a happy day. The following year, prison captain Alfred Rowe also pleaded guilty to having sex with Smith and was sentenced to five years probation. For court records, I would make a request to Union County if you cant find them online. A married man older than her who was an employee at the same store; another younger co-worker; and Bev, her stepfather. Thank you for your article. During this period, Susan had a relationship with a former co-worker, which only made the situation worse. 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. But others, when they travel, won't say where they're from because they'd rather not answer questions. In July 1995, Smith was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, which is around the corner in November 2024. 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