randall lee smith i survived randall lee smith i survived

Farmer, meanwhile, had staggered back and watched as Smith fired at Johnston running to the trees. He said he'd spoke to Scott. Comes right back to Pearisburg, right back to his mother's house, right back to the community like it-- like-- like he never missed a beat. Tom Lawson: Why did you do it? Melissa Miller answered the door, and couldn't believe what she saw. What were you gaining by this?". Smith infamously murdered two people along the Appalachian Trail in 1981 and allegedly tried last week to kill two more near the same spot. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Meanwhile, Scott Johnston has taken refuge in the woods. Another lie. Chris Hansen: Now, did he-- strike you as odd in any way? Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. And-- and I, I mean, I'm steering from the passenger side. Hotel rooms near Something in the Water are still available but they wont be cheap. Well, you know, that's the one question I have, is why? Check in with them regularly. Tom Lawson: We-- we had absolutely no idea. Like - it's almost like he was looking past me. Chris Hansen: What do you think saved you guys that night? Tom Lawson: That's the first stories that started circulating. As Johnston cleaned the fish by the creek, then placed them on a grate over the fire, along with a pot of beans, Smith talked about football and music and himself. I just want to thank you for it, it was the funniest fucking thing. Darrell David Rice was indicted for the crime six years later, while serving time in prison for another attempted abduction. ", "I wasn't even looking at him, and the next thing I know, I didn't see him pull a gun or anything, I just had this ringing in my head where he shot me right in the side of the face," Farmer said. It's still there. Scott had to have extensive surgery on his neck, and was in the hospital for six days. As he gets in, the gunman runs alongside, and lines him up for the finishing shot. For him, it is still sacred ground. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Dale Vaught of Pembroke said Smith "was probably going to die anyway" by lethal injection. And the next thing I know is-- is we hit it too fast. ", Eugene Whittaker and his wife, who live nearby, have adopted Bo. Sean Farmer: At that point, nothing happened. And the two friends say as painful and as frightening as the shooting was, they have learned some life lessons from their brush with death. For those crimes, Smith served 15 years. And I'm telling him, I'm like, "Slow down. Scott Johnston: It's just a beautiful, relaxing place to me. And I said yeah.". Scott Johnston: And- and the next thing I know, I mean, I just hear, "Pow. Is gluten-free bread healthier than regular bread? Sean and Scott say an unwritten rule of the trail is to offer aid and friendship to fellow hikers and fishermen. Polson had planned to only be out on a short trip. He began serving the prison term in 1981, and after spending fifteen behind bars, Randall was paroled in 1996. Lyin' Randall was lying again. Sean Farmer: And miraculously, he could, even though had a hole in his neck. He was the son of Randall Ray Smith and Virginia Mae (Rubin) Smith, both survive him. Randall was born in Duluth, Minnesota on October 16, 1946 to Basil E. and Bernice M. (Gidbout) Smith. Bowles believes Smith probably camped for a time somewhere in the mountains above his home. The two friends took us up to the campsite on brushy mountain where they cooked the stranger dinner, and swapped stories around the campfire. Molly LaRue and Geoff Hood, a couple who had met in Kansas, were found murdered in a shelter outsideDuncannon, Pennsylvania. Friends Scott Johnston and Sean Farmer say they've hiked the trails and fished the streams here most of their lives. The storied Appalachian Trail passes through the outskirts of town. Luckily, the pair survived. "That's what I'm asking for. Scott Johnston: And - and we make it down to the botTom of the mountain. Both survived. On top of it, in 2008, Randall was already out on parole and was reported missing by his neighbor, which further increased worries. Chris Hansen: Now, I'm not a radiologist, (laughter) but that looks awfully darn close to the spine. In 2011 an Indiana man who was hiking the trail was found strangled to death. He was born June 30, 1967, in Mecklenburg County, son of Kay Harding Thompson and the late Jackie W. Thompson Sr. Scotte was a caring, loving father, son, and friend. I mean, we're both in a panic. Randall Lee Smith (June 29, 1953 May 10, 2008)[1] was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. Those murders took place back in 1981, and yet Tom Lawson had a gut feeling that there was a connection between that crime, and the attack on Scott Johnston and Sean Farmer. And on this day, there was something else hunting out there among the towering hardwoods and tangled brush: Another, even more deadly predator. Smith was paroled in 1996 after serving 15 years of a 30-year prison sentence. Talked about fishing and stuff. And he's not. But I mean, all of a sudden we just take off again. As she went down, he hits her in the back of the head. And I took off. Smith came around the front of the Jeep and pointed the gun at Farmer. But on the day Smith's murder trial was to begin, Tom Lawson got devastating news. Contents 1 Background 2 1981 Murders and Release 3 Later Crimes and Death 4 Modus Operandi 5 Known Victims 6 On Criminal Minds 7 Sources Background And I-- you know, "How 'ya doin'," type thing. (laughing). And - and we skid to a stop right there. Smith apparently abandoned his home sometime in February or March, leaving with Bo. Chris Hansen: Dark out. Retired FBI profiler Mary Ellen OToole wrote a book calledDangerous Instincts: How Gut Feelings Betray Us. Those who know Sean and Scott said they were often spotted hanging out together in Bluefield and described them as generous and kindhearted individuals who never hesitated to help out others in need. Randall Lee Smith Now: Is The Killer Dead or Alive. Please subscribe to continue reading Whittaker said Randall Smith "was always a good neighbor to us.". Bo has been adopted. No one has been arrested in the homicide. Bowles said her sadness about Smith's death is tempered by gratitude that his tortured life is done. A True Crime Publication that looks into both new crimes and long lost forgotten crimes. And only goes away for 15 years? It's well-known, but mostly avoided by those who know its secrets. Tom Lawson: We discovered a-- a piece of-- angle iron, wrought iron that was in the fireplace that was used for a poker to stir the ashes up. Although a local resident named Randall Lee Smith was arrested and convicted for the murders, residents generally avoided the area since that incident. Scott Johnston: I - I knew then I was sort of in trouble. Randall murdered two social workers on the Appalachian Trail and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. I said, "I know you did." And Sean Farmer's doctors told him the same thing about the bullets he took in the head and chest. When Scott Johnston and Sean Farmer were shot near the Appalachian Trail last may, former deputy Tom Lawson immediately had a suspect in mind-- Randall Lee Smith. Gary Stafford's reaction to the killer's death was typical. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Chris Hansen: What's it like to see these gals here today? And I was coming back up the mountain. Just be-- our friendship saved us. It has to be noted that this is very low when compared to the 3 to 4 million people that hike the trail each year. Randall Lee Smith The home of serial killer Randall Lee Smith in Pearisburg, Va., near the Appalachian Trail. Farmer said he then stood up, unable to figure out what had happened, and felt his face, hot and swelling. And weeks after the murders, police still didn't have one. 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. It seemed to be a quiet end to a lazy evening, then suddenly, that friendly fisherman turned on them. And there was a dog in the road. Randall Smith was injured and apprehended when he wrecked a pickup he allegedly stole from one of the fishermen. But police still didn't know what happened to her hiking partner, Robert Mountford. And - and I bang on the door. Smith infamously murdered two people along the Appalachian Trail in . How'd you accept that? However, Sean did appear in the Investigation Discovery episode, where he provided a first-hand account of the terrifying attack. "Evidently he was not well enough to be released -- nothing against the hospital.". Tom Lawson: He walks out. He specifically asked the warden to do nothing to save his life. They even came to me, and-- and mentioned putting a feeding tube in. Until I actually went to the door and seen him holding his neck, and blood was running down. You can barely see. This wasn't gonna make you popular. Please subscribe to keep reading. It would be the first of many lies he told. And I mean we're flying down the road. Neighbors have described him as a lost soul, accompanied only by his dog, Bo. Randall Lee Smith: Yeah. Scott Johnston: We went down that dirt road doing like 40 miles an hour - 50 miles an hour - on the road that you can normally do like 20. Sean Farmer: But it just-- we just worked together to get down. Police could not determine if she had been sexually assaulted, because of the condition of the body. Incredibly, Sean absorbed a point blank gunshot to the chest, but somehow, he is able to turn and run for his Jeep. When he was twelve years old, his parents noticed that he had a red, swollen neck. [6] His probation ended in 2006. Ya know, I-- I made it. He was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, a sentence that he accepted willingly. The slayings became the subject of the 1984 book "Murder on the Appalachian Trail" by author Jess Carr. In fact, Randall Lee Smith apparently became so obsessed with the trail that sometime in March of 2008, he walked up into the wild and never came back. NBC News reports that the men managed to escape in Smith's vehicle and drive 40 miles to the nearest hospital for . Farmer, feeling no pain, turned and ran toward his Jeep Cherokee, 20 feet away and parked on the other side of Johnston's pickup. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Police began combing the woods surrounding the shelter, and one searcher noticed something peeking through the leaves: a sLeeping bag. Roberts said locals had told them about Smith, about the murders he had committed in 1981 and the most recent allegations. Tom Lawson: It does not penetrate the skull. Scott Johnston: And-- and talk-- and talking him, ya know--. Randall Lee Smith was suspected of shooting two fishermen near Dismal Creek. But that bloody fingerprint was of little use until they could match it to a suspect. Tom Lawson: The cloth sLeeping bag was lying out this way. Scott says he developed a special bond with nurse and patient advocate Judy Snipes. Many more murder victims lost their live on side trails near the Appalachian Trail, including Meredith Emerson in 2008. And I said, "Here, you can have these.". Smith introduced himself as Ricky Williams of Newport. Johnston and Farmer, while not sensing anything amiss as they sat by the fire, each privately wondered why Smith was staying so long. Glatman moved to Los Angeles, California in 1957 and started strolling around modeling agencies looking for potential victims. Eventually, ambulances would carry them to the local community center, where a helicopter picked them up to take them to a Roanoke hospital. Shot me in the chest. Sean Farmer: And I stood up, staggered back. You can only imagine the heartbreak the families of the victims had to go through. Current uncertainty about the circumstances of Smith's death leaves some wondering whether he was released prematurely from Roanoke Memorial in Roanoke. Randall is related to Bryant James Smith and Marla Jane Smith as well as 1 additional person. Scott Johnston: The people in the helicopter told me, they're like, "You're in critical condition." But one hiker they met on the trail here last may turned on them without warning. He only ended up serving half of his sentence, much to the anger of Ramsay and Mountfords families. Melissa Miller: I thought it was one of my son's friends playing a joke. Randall Lee Smith, The Appalachian Trail's Very Own Serial Killer Randall Lee Smith remains a mystery Blood on the Mountain Trail of a Killer Murderpedia: Randall Lee Smith Wikipedia: Randall Lee Smith Books Murder on the Appalachian Trail The Whole Truth: A Case of Murder on the Appalachian Trail He had told them his campsite was an hour away. 1982. I could hear him say, "Come on, boy. We need to get back to camp.". And when we got down to where there's three or four houses, for some reason, you know, we passed the first or second house. In 2008, Smith shot two fishermen on the trail with the intent to kill them. Ron Hamlin: They pulled out behind him and they-- Mr. Smiths-- evidently saw him and he sped up. Chris Hansen: How long did it take before the ambulance got here? Chris Hansen: 15 years? "Randall Lee Smith (June 29,1953 May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. Doctors said it was too dangerous to take that bullet out. I--I'm holding my finger in the bullet hole right here to keep myself from bLeeding to death. Karen and Georgia cover the survival story of Scott Johnston and Sean Farmer and the Glamour Girl Slayer. Around 3:12 a.m., the female victim called emergency dispatchers in Smyth County, detailing the attack. He stuck a finger in the bullet hole to stop the gusher of blood. And I refused. Scott Johnston: They weren't sure if I would ever talk or swallow again. Both men were shot twice, but survived. Like most everyone in this mountainous part of the state, Johnston and Farmer had heard about the 1981 murders. And so I opened up the cooler and I pulled out a bag of trout. Randy is survived by his parents John and Norma Smith, his sister Debra (Brian) Doggett, his brother Timothy (Sandy) Smith, nieces Shelley White, Amy and Kasey Smith . The only leads were items the police found near the murder sceneincluding items belonging to victim Susan Ramsay. The family put the wounded men on their porch and cleaned them with wet washcloths. James L. Jordan in a police booking photo. But just a few hours later, that picture postcard day turned into a night straight out of a horror movie. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. (laughter). them before opening fire. I said, me and my friend have been shot. I said, "Oh, my goodness, this is not a joke.". Smith was arrested that day after attempting to escape in one of the victim's trucks and subsequently crashing. The shocking crime drew national attention, and for the first time, a large portion of the trail was closed to the public. And and - and I'm like, you know, "Go, go, go." Then, Smith stood up and smacked his hand against his thigh to wake his sleeping dog, Johnston said. Chris Hansen: Who do you think, at the end of the day, is most responsible for Scott and Sean's survival? I was, like--. He was willing to help anyone in need. "Randall Lee Smith (June 29,1953- May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. You weren't gonna gain any girlfriends. . It's getting dark, we got to go.' "I commend local law enforcement in Wythe and Smyth Counties for mobilizing successful rescue and tactical operations in this remote region. You never know who might pick you up in their car even if you are travelling with a partner. Almost immediately, Smith crashed the truck, suffering head injuries that required a helicopter to take him to a Roanoke hospital. Here are the list of Appalachian trail murders since 1974: Scott Lilley, a hiker from Indiana, died on the Applachian Trail on 12 August 2011. The pressure was on to find the killer, but police had just one solid piece of forensic evidence -- from a book belonging to murder victim Susan Ramsay. Then the pieces started to fall into place: Lawson found some hikers who saw Randall Lee Smith with Susan Ramsay the day of the murders. And, like I say, I mean, I just stuck my finger, ya know, probably a quarter inch down inside the wound. That's what he said. Tom Lawson: How-- how in the world could a person's life not be worth but seven and a half years? Chris Hansen: That he's comin' to for shootin' two other people on the Appalachian Trail. And what did you think you were gonna gain from this, notoriety? He tried to kill us," Farmer said as he and Johnston granted their first interview after their May 6 ordeal. You can cancel at any time. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Pow." 3. Even then, the injuries were too severe to heal completely, and the doctors were unable to extract a bullet from Seans skull for fear of damaging it further.