1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Is there truly such a thing as true love? In 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: the vibrant city of Baltimore, Maryland, a couple finds themselves 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: on the brink of a second chance at romance. However, 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: their newfound joy is abruptly shattered when tragedy strikes. A 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: random act of violence becomes a focal point of a 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: story that affects the nation, raising unsettling questions about the 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: very fabric of love and trust. Does true love endure 8 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: even in the face of such aura? What happens when 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: love becomes fatal? This is a fatal attraction podcast with 10 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: a deadly scheme. 11 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 2: December one, twenty eighteen. It's just after midnight on a 12 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: chilly Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland, also known as charm City. 13 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 3: It's known as charm City for a reason. There's culture, 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 3: there's food, there's music. It's an amazing. 15 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 2: But it's also a troubled one. 16 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 4: Baltimore is a dangerous city. There really is no denying 17 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:16,119 Speaker 4: that there's a problem with homicides, shootings, carjackings, armed robberies. 18 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 5: Baltimore has been on the top ten list of Island 19 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 5: Crowns for a number of years. 20 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, and this bleak winter morning it looks as if 21 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: the city some call bodymore Murderland is about to claim 22 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 2: another victim Baltimore City. Now I'm on one of them. 23 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 6: I got a spirit of mercy. 24 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: The caller is fifty two year old Keith Smith, some 25 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: Panama fad my wife. He says, They've been driving down 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 2: the street in East Baltimore when his wife, fifty four 27 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: year old Jacqueline Smith, saw a woman with a baby 28 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: begging on a street corner. 29 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 7: Jacqueline spot of the baby. She asked her to pull over. 30 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 8: My white tried to give her some money if a 31 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 8: god came over and he started stabbing my wife. 32 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 3: He's completely shocked. 33 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 5: They dashed a pocket book and snapped a necklace. 34 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 2: On my neck and then they were gone. 35 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 9: I jumped out the car and he read, Okay, sir, 36 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 9: you're starting the location right now. 37 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 10: Right, I'll do the hospital. 38 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 5: He's hysterical and he's trying to get his wife home. 39 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 9: I'm gonna go to John Hopkin. 40 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 11: Johns Hopkins Hospital, which is only a few blocks away, 41 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 11: has one of the best trauma centers in the country. 42 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 2: While Keith's adult daughter tends to Jaquelin from the back seat, 43 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 2: the dispatcher directs Keith to the emergency room. 44 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 9: You should better pulled straight off and I'm able to 45 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 9: help you. 46 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: Out, but only if they're able to make it in time. 47 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 12: How's your wife doing? 48 00:02:51,120 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: She got, Oh my god, he stabbing. Fifty four year 49 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: old Jacqueline Smith had always been a generous and compassionate woman. 50 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 5: She's a very giving person, a very kind person, the. 51 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: Bible believing Christian woman. 52 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 9: She was very involved in the church. 53 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 2: She was also an accomplished career woman. 54 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 6: Jacqueline Smith was a graduate of North Carolina A and T University, 55 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 6: where she majored in engineering. 56 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 5: She's working as an electrical engineer making good money. 57 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 13: She was just someone who a lot of people respected 58 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 13: and wanted to be around morning. 59 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: The only hitch in her life was the failure of 60 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 2: her marriage, but she didn't let that stop her, okay. 61 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: Jacqueline is someone that was progressed in her career. She's 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 3: been able to manage raising two children successfully, even getting 63 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 3: past the trauma of divorce, and successfully rise to the top. 64 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 2: Approaching fifty and with her children grown, Jacqueline decided to 65 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: give love another chance. 66 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 5: She's at the point of her life where she's ready 67 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 5: to start living again. And possibly getting out there to 68 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 5: find someone new. 69 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: And in twenty thirteen, it looked like she had found 70 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 2: someone who fit the bill perfectly. 71 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 3: She meets this person at the VFW. 72 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 2: His name was Keith Smith. 73 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 5: Keith sees her and automatically he's like, I've got access 74 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 5: woman out. I've got to get to know her. Would 75 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 5: you like to dance? 76 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 9: I love to well? 77 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: Okay. 78 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 14: Keith was tall, dark, handsome. Jacqueline was knocked off her feet. 79 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: That first dance soon led to a first date and 80 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 2: then another. 81 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 6: They had a lot of different things in common. 82 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 7: They both had grown children who are injuring adulthood themselves. 83 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: And like Jacqueline, Keith was eager to make a fresh start. 84 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 5: Later on in your years. You don't want to wait 85 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,559 Speaker 5: too long to start a new relationship. So shortly after, 86 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 5: about three months later, he's proposing to her on Christmas Eve. 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 5: Oh there's one more thing that I had Okay, I 88 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 5: know it hasn't been long, but just wondering if you would. 89 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 3: Sometimes a quick proposal can give you pause, but not 90 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 3: for Jacqueline. 91 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 14: This is the wind that she was looking for. 92 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 2: Keith moved into Jacqueline's townhouse and suburban Baltimore, and they 93 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: began building a light together. 94 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 14: This is the moment that Jacqueline has been working hard towards. 95 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 14: She is happy and content. 96 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 3: She's feeling like her prayers were answered, you could say. 97 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: But now Keith is driving through East Baltimore, desperate for 98 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 2: help as Jack Wiline bleeds out in the seat beside him. 99 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 3: His wife, being the kind hearted woman she was, rolled 100 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 3: down her window to give some panhandlers some money, and 101 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 3: the panhandler reaches inside the car, robs her and then 102 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 3: starts stabbing her violently. 103 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 2: Until after the stabbing, the dispatcher guide's Keith to JOHNS. 104 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 2: Hopkins University Hospital. 105 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 12: If you're making her right on the wolf, the Hopkins 106 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 12: is on your right when you get down there at all, 107 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 12: it should be Orleans. 108 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 4: Okay, I see it now, I see it. 109 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: But finding the hospital doesn't mean the crisis is over. 110 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 14: It is a big, big campus. It's not like a 111 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 14: small country hospital. We are talking many blocks, many buildings. 112 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 8: Anyone, even in their right minded calm, is going to 113 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 8: have difficulty finding the exact entrance of the. 114 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: I'm in the wrong shide. 115 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 5: Keith is frantic. 116 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: Finally, after several agonizing minutes, circling the sprawling medical complex, 117 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: Keith manages to find the. 118 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 5: Erle I need help. My wife just got staff out 119 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 5: the pail. 120 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: She's in the car. 121 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 15: Then, as the er staff rust Jacqueline inside, Keith broke 122 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 15: down complete. 123 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 2: Oh there you are ready, Oh. 124 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: Oh, stay with us as we get to the heart 125 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: of the mystery. This is the Fatal Attraction podcast. 126 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 2: Fifty four year old electrical engineer Jacqueline Smith had finally 127 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: found happiness with her second husband, Keith. 128 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 3: She was looking for love second time around, and she 129 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 3: was able to find that love. 130 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 5: It just looks like the perfect setup for both of 131 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 5: these people that are in their fifties, finally finding love 132 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 5: and making this thing work. 133 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,679 Speaker 2: But now, in the early morning hours of December first, 134 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, Keith has just rushed Jaqueline into a Baltimore hospital. 135 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 14: Hold on, Jackie, hold on Hell, hold on, babies, please, Harry, 136 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 14: please please. 137 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 11: They pulled over so Jacqueline could give money to a panhandler, 138 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 11: and when she rolled the window down, the man who 139 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 11: was with a woman attacked Jacqueline. 140 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 6: Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, hold on Jackie. 141 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 5: Oh God. 142 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:49,599 Speaker 2: Nurses at the er immediately rush her into emergency surgery. 143 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 3: What is going to happen to the love of his life. 144 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 2: By one am, he has the answer. 145 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 15: The nurse came back out to talk to Keith, and 146 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 15: he could tell by the look on her face it 147 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 15: was not good news. 148 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 14: What did everything we could for? 149 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 2: No? 150 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 9: No, no, no. 151 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 14: I'm so sorry. 152 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 3: There was nothing they could do. 153 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 2: When Keith sits down with Baltimore homicide detectives several hours later, 154 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: he's still trying to contain his grief. 155 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 3: He's playing it over and over in his mind, blaming himself, 156 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 3: and the tears are streaming down his face. 157 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: Once Keith regains his composure, he walks the investigators through 158 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 2: what happened. 159 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:59,599 Speaker 4: He and Jacqueline had gone to East Baltimore to celebrate 160 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 4: his other Valeria's birthday. 161 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 3: They went to dinner at the VFW. They were enjoying themselves. 162 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 2: He says. It was almost midnight when they left the 163 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 2: VFW and headed east towards Valeria's home. 164 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 11: They were giving her a ride before they headed back 165 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 11: to their home in Aberdeeny. 166 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,599 Speaker 5: Cory Keith, while they were driving his wife's spots of 167 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 5: a panhandler. 168 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 9: We stopped stops a girl over here. 169 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 3: She's holding a sign that says can't feed my baby. 170 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 3: Need help. 171 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 9: She was old the baby. 172 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 7: And I was like, wow, how you will be out here? 173 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 6: Will be late at night. 174 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 14: He described a woman in her twenties, somebody who might 175 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:49,839 Speaker 14: have been addicted to drugs. 176 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 2: Not that it mattered to Jacqueline. 177 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 14: He said. 178 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 4: Jacqueline was so moved and troubled by this that she 179 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 4: wanted to give her some money. 180 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 2: Look, pull over, pull over, hey sweetie, how are you? Oh? 181 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 9: She called the girl over. 182 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 2: Here, God bless you. 183 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 3: Okay here the. 184 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: Guy just walked over. 185 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 10: Yeh man, thank your wife. 186 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: Man. 187 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 14: He described a man in his thirties who was wearing 188 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:14,559 Speaker 14: a heavy jacket with a goatee. 189 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 2: But according to Keith, when the man leaned in the window, 190 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 2: it wasn't to say thank you. 191 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,319 Speaker 4: The man grabbed her necklace, grabbed her wallet, and began 192 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,479 Speaker 4: stabbing her of the shot. 193 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 3: He doesn't know what to do, what the night look like? 194 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 9: If you could tell you know what these things happened 195 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 9: so quickly? Okay, okay, so you just saw all the motion. 196 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: He's not able to describe the murder weapon for the police. 197 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 9: When the stabbing occurred, what happened next? Did they just 198 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 9: start running? 199 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,599 Speaker 6: So he thought he could. He snapped that that was 200 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 6: all grabbed up black people getting wing. 201 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 7: That was about all the information that detectives were gonna 202 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 7: get from Keith. 203 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 5: Ways, he starts to break down in front of the officers, 204 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 5: cause again, if I should have moved off, I should 205 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 5: have pulled. 206 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 6: I should have known, I should have been with a man. 207 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 5: In those moments, you're thinking, you know, I'm the husband. 208 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 5: I'm supposed to protect my wife and I wasn't able 209 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 5: to do that. 210 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 10: All right, we're gonna talk to your daughter real quickly. 211 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 10: Where you get you guys home gun. 212 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 8: They're just trying to get as much information as they can, 213 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,239 Speaker 8: as quickly as they can to aid their investigation. 214 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 2: When the detectives follow up with Keith's daughter, Valeria, her 215 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 2: account corroborates her father's. This girl came up to the car. 216 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 10: She was asking for money, and I wasn't batting around. 217 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 10: It wasn't until the this guy came over death. 218 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: And called my attention. 219 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 5: She was able to see everything that happened to her stepmother. 220 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 10: Here's the car, and you like, because think you rem 221 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 10: and just start stabbing her and like it was literally 222 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 10: like two seconds. 223 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 14: And they were going. 224 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 11: Sure. 225 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 2: However, in addition to confirming her father's story, Valeria also 226 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: offers up a clue that may help find the killers. 227 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 11: She had seen which way the attackers ran. 228 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 3: She's pretty sure they ran off to where the basketball courts. 229 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 7: She thought they were headed to the La Trope homes 230 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 7: and get the project record. 231 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: The mystery continues to unroute. Stay with us for more 232 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: of the unfailing This is the Fatal Attraction podcast. 233 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 2: According to Jacqueline Smith's stepdaughter, the panhandlers who stabbed the 234 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: fifty four year old electrical engineer fled in the direction 235 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 2: of a Baltimore housing project. 236 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 8: One of the things about traumatic incidents people can have 237 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 8: different perceptions of what actually occurred. But in this particular scenario, 238 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 8: you had a rather consistent story, so detectives felt like 239 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 8: they had some pretty good leads. 240 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 2: However, before heading to the housing project, the detectives have 241 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: Keith Smith's car towed to the crime lab. 242 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 3: They'd take the vehicle to search for DNA and other 243 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 3: clues as to what exactly occurred that evening. 244 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 2: Then the detectives stopped or a look at the street 245 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 2: corner where the deadly encounter occurred. 246 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 4: Valley and Chase is in a community with mostly vacant homes. 247 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 3: There aren't a lot of people there. 248 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 5: This isn't a typical area where people come to ask 249 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 5: for money or. 250 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: Food, but is it the ideal place for an ambush. 251 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 11: Not only were there no witnesses around, the corner wasn't 252 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 11: covered by any of the police surveillance cameras. 253 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 2: The detectives spend a few minutes combing the area for evidence. 254 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 5: They're looking for a murder weapon. They're looking for some 255 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 5: signs that says there was a struggle. 256 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 7: They were also helping to find Jacquelin's purse. 257 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 8: Oftentimes criminals want to get rid of it, get what 258 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 8: you can out of it as quickly as possible, then discarded. 259 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 2: Unable to find a discarded knife or purse, the detectives 260 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 2: make their way to the Latrobe Homes housing project. 261 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 11: The almost seven hundred unit complex, built in the nineteen 262 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 11: forties is one of Baltimore's oldest public housing developments. 263 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 5: They canvassed the area asking questions. They did not find anyone. 264 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 5: That massive description that Valeria and Keith gave for the two. 265 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 2: People reviewing the housing authority. Security footage from the night 266 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: of the stabbing also fails to turn up anyone fitting 267 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 2: the suspects description. 268 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 15: Maybe if she got it wrong and they weren't heading 269 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 15: towards the projects. 270 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 2: La Trobe Holmes an apparent dead end, the detectives try 271 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 2: a different approach. 272 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 3: They put a trace on Jacqueline's credit cards. 273 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 2: While the detectives search for Jacquelin's killers, her murder becomes 274 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 2: big news in Baltimore. 275 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 3: There's lots of media attention, to media frenzy. It's all 276 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 3: over the news, and it's really beginning to cause concern 277 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:46,359 Speaker 3: for the community. 278 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 4: This is a crime where anyone could have been a victim. 279 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 4: That's what was so scary to the community. Often homicides 280 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 4: will happen in the city because somebody is involved in 281 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 4: illegal activity. But panhandling, that's something that any citizen could 282 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 4: fall victim too. 283 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 3: By simply trying to help someone. It really created a 284 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 3: level of fear in the community that wasn't existing previously. 285 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 2: The fear only amplifies after the story goes from local 286 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 2: tragedy to national headline. 287 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 8: Oprah Wnfrey got hold of this story and she retweeted 288 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 8: it to her forty million plus followers on Twitter. 289 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 3: She's given out money to panhandlers thousands of times, but 290 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 3: now she's going to think twice about whether she rolls 291 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 3: down that window. That's the impact that it had across 292 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 3: the country. 293 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 5: You have people from all over viewing these people who 294 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 5: need help as dangerous. 295 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 14: We have been socialized to have a fear of unhoused individuals, 296 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 14: and this story played into those fears. 297 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 2: Much of the media's attention centers on Keith. 298 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 8: He's doing a lot of press, He's talking to the 299 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 8: media about what happened, and he's trying to get action. 300 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 3: He believes that the panhandlers are the reason that he's 301 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 3: lost the love of his life, and he wants something 302 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 3: done about it. 303 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 8: This is a husband who wants to make sure no 304 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 8: other family experiences what they've experienced. 305 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 12: He wanted there to be a law passed against panhandling 306 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 12: in the city. 307 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 14: He wants to name it Jacqueline's Law. 308 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 2: As the debate about panhandler's rages, the Baltimore police may 309 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 2: be on the verge of catching Jacqueline's killer. 310 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 5: Yes, ma'am, can I help you. 311 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 8: A couple of days into this investigation, police received what 312 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 8: they believe is a great lead. 313 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 2: The same day that Oprah tweets about the case, a 314 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 2: woman approaches an officer sitting in his patrol car outside 315 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 2: of Baltimore Shopping Center. 316 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 8: The woman comes forward, saying that she had been calling 317 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 8: the tip line but couldn't get through. 318 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,680 Speaker 5: She's been trying to get through to let them know. Hey, look, 319 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 5: I've got a potential lead in this case. 320 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 9: The panhandler. 321 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 2: That panhandler. 322 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 14: Okay, I believe I know who did it and it 323 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 14: wasn't no panhandler. 324 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 11: She believed a gentleman by the name of Damon Booth 325 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 11: could be responsible. 326 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 3: The woman tells the officer that Damon Booth has been 327 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 3: committing armed robberies in the the trop Holmes area. 328 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 15: The trop Holmes, of course, was the housing project that 329 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 15: the killers were heading toward after the murders. 330 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 2: And that's not the only thing to suggest the tipster 331 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 2: may be right. 332 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 15: And does Damon live in Latropo, Well, he doesn't live there, 333 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 15: but his girlfriend lives there. 334 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 14: Okay, she lives in the housing project with her mom. 335 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 3: Is this the couple that's set up up Jacqueline and 336 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 3: committed this murder? 337 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for more of a Fatal Attraction podcast. 338 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 2: Baltimore police have received what appears to be a credible 339 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 2: tip that the so called panhandler who stabbed Jacqueline Smith 340 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 2: is actually a petty thief named Demon Boo. 341 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 8: Police further learn from this tipster that Damon Booth as 342 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 8: a girlfriend, and the girlfriend happens to live in Latrob Homes. 343 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 11: Latroll Holmes was the housing project that was a few 344 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 11: blocks away from the East Baltimore Street corner where the 345 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 11: murder occurred. 346 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 8: Putting two and two together, you have a woman who 347 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,439 Speaker 8: was posing on the corner with this baby and a 348 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 8: guy who comes up from the shadows and commits this crime, 349 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 8: and they. 350 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 9: Both flee towards Latrob Homes. 351 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 15: Everything about the couple fits with Jacquelin's husband, Keith, and 352 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 15: the daughter told detectives about the murder. 353 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 8: This will sound like we're getting very close to crack 354 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 8: in this case. 355 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 9: Thanks officer FORCIA. 356 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 5: Thanks. 357 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 2: When detectives pulled Demon's repsheet, it looks like they're even closer. 358 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 3: They find out that he does have a criminal record 359 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,640 Speaker 3: and that he's spent five years in prison for armed robbery. 360 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 2: Reviewing the details of his armed robbery conviction also raises 361 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: a big red flag for detectives. 362 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 3: In fact, held a knife to someone's throat. 363 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 5: Once the knife comes up, now they're really looking into. 364 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 3: Him, they may have found the culprit. 365 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 2: When detectives bring Booth in for questioning, he denies any 366 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: involvement in Jacquelin's murder. 367 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 9: He'd said, I wasn't even in the area. I don't 368 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 9: know what you're talking about. 369 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 7: I never even heard of this woman. 370 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 2: Her murders all over the news man. 371 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 14: I don't even watch TV. 372 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 11: Damon did admit that his girlfriend lived in Latroll Homes, 373 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 11: but he never went to her apartment. 374 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 7: Was her long? 375 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:13,199 Speaker 6: She don't like me? 376 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 3: Damon tells investigators that he's not welcome around his girlfriend 377 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 3: Tanya's home. 378 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 2: According to Damon, so that's why he was nowhere near 379 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 2: the crime scene when the stabbing occurred. 380 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,199 Speaker 15: We got a room in a motel out on Pulaski howway, 381 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 15: which motel I forgot the name. 382 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 6: It's just past Holland Nevernew. 383 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 15: If Damon was telling the truth, that was more than 384 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 15: two miles from the crime. 385 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 9: Scene through there all night, Yeah I was. 386 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 3: Damon tells the investigators that Tenan went to get food 387 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 3: around ten o'clock, but that was it. Otherwise they were 388 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 3: in the motile for the remainder of that evening. 389 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 9: You're free to go. 390 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 2: When detectives bring Demon's girlfriend Tanya, and for questioning, she 391 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 2: confirms their alibi. 392 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 14: She says she only left out once that night to 393 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 14: get something to eat. 394 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 3: I walked like a block down the road to get 395 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 3: some food. 396 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 6: What time was up? 397 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 2: About ten? 398 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 9: They give a consistent story. 399 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 11: Detectives were not about to take their word for it, though. 400 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 9: Thank you. 401 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 2: After talking to Tanya, they follow up at the motel 402 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 2: where they supposedly spent the night. 403 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 8: Detectives are able to look at surveillance video. They're able 404 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 8: to check the guests registry. 405 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 3: The footage corroborates Damon and Tanya's story. It shows them 406 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 3: checking in and it does not show Damon checking out 407 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 3: until the following morning. 408 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 8: And it's no way they were going to be able 409 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 8: to be over at Valley and Chase with us murder. 410 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 9: Of your Curt. 411 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 5: They may fit the description, but they were nowhere near 412 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,160 Speaker 5: that crime scene. 413 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: Their hot tip turns out to be a dud, and 414 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 2: the forensic results from Keith's car are equally disappointing. 415 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 3: When the investigators get the forensics back, there are no 416 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 3: fingerprints belonging to anyone other than Keith, Valeria and Jacqueline. 417 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 8: Now that's not completely unusual, because we're talking about someone 418 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 8: who reached inside the car, snatched the necklace, snatched the purse, 419 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 8: and stabbed her to death. 420 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 5: So of course there wouldn't be any fingerprints inside the car. 421 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 2: But just when the investigation is running out of steam, 422 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 2: things heat up. 423 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 3: The investigators get notified that someone made three charges on 424 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 3: Jacqueline's credit cards. 425 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 14: They trace the use of the car to three juveniles. 426 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,120 Speaker 7: Obviously, none of the kids fit the description of. 427 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: Jacqueline's killers, so how do they end up with her 428 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 2: credit cards? 429 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 14: They say they found her purse at a local bus stop. 430 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,439 Speaker 11: Knowing nothing about the murder, they'd taken the credit card 431 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 11: that was left inside the purse and gone on a 432 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 11: spending spree. 433 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 2: After talking to the kids, the detectives head to the 434 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 2: bus stop where they reported finding the purse. 435 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 14: It wasn't far from the scene of the crime. 436 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 2: Suspecting the killers passed by the bus stop as they 437 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 2: fled the scene. The detectives pulled footage from the various 438 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: city surveillance cameras along the most likely routes. 439 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 14: They're looking at numerous surveillance videos, twenty seven different cameras. 440 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 9: You kind of can string together things. 441 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 8: They might not necessarily point to a specific area, but 442 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 8: there is no doubt within a couple blocks you're going 443 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 8: to run across the city watch camera. 444 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 2: As the detectives review the footage from the night of 445 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 2: the murder, they once again hit a dead end. 446 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 3: There's no one in any of the footage that matches 447 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 3: the description of the perpetrators described by Keith and his 448 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 3: daughter Valeria. 449 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 2: However, as they review footage from closer to the crime scene, 450 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 2: they notice something else. 451 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 3: None of the video footage reflects Keith's car being in 452 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 3: the vicinity. 453 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 14: We're talking about twenty seven cameras, and the car doesn't 454 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 14: show up anywhere. 455 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 15: It was not even along the route from the crime 456 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 15: scene to the hospital. 457 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:40,479 Speaker 3: None of the surveillance footage corroborates their story. 458 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for more of the Fatal Attraction podcast. 459 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: After scouring hours of video surveillance looking for the panhandlers 460 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 2: who allegedly killed Jacqueline Smith and stole her purse, detectives 461 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:03,959 Speaker 2: have made a surprising discovery. 462 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 11: Not only was there no footage of the killers, there 463 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:12,679 Speaker 11: was no footage of her husband's car the entire route. 464 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 4: Investigators checked the cameras and were unable at any point 465 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 4: to see Keith Valeria, their vehicle or either panhandler. 466 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 2: Had Keith and his daughter Valerias simply made a mistake 467 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 2: about the route they took to the hospital. 468 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 5: Maybe they get one street mixed up with another. 469 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 2: Or was there another possibility? 470 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 15: Maybe you can't rely on about this whole thing. 471 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 2: Detectives figure there's one way to find out the truth. 472 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 4: Investigators obtained warrants for Keith and Valeria's cell phones the 473 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 4: GPS data as well as. 474 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 2: Googled out of and the data suggests that Keith and 475 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,360 Speaker 2: his daughter have been luned to detectives. 476 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 4: Valeria's cell phone was pinging northwest in Druid Park. 477 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 11: The direct routes to her apartment from the FW Hall 478 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 11: where they had dinner didn't go anywhere near the park. 479 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 4: Investigators were able to determine that Keith and Valeria and 480 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 4: Jacqueline were at drew Hill Park for at least twelve 481 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 4: to sixteen minutes. 482 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 2: But what were they doing during that time? 483 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 6: Drew Hill Park isn't a place normally where an individual 484 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 6: would pull over a stop at in the middle of 485 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 6: the night. 486 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 3: It's a perfect place to commit a crime. 487 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 2: Hoping to learn why Keith might want to kill his wife. 488 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 2: The detectives quietly reach out to the couple's relatives. 489 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 15: When they talked to Keith's brother, they found a possible motive. 490 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 6: He revealed to detectives that Jacqueline Smith was unhappy. 491 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 3: Jacqueline had been talking about divorce. 492 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 14: A divorce would be a serious hit to Keith's lifestyle. 493 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 3: Jacqueline was the primary breadwinner and the house was in 494 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 3: Jacqueline's name, so Keith had everything to lose if Jacqueline. 495 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 2: Was to walk away from her, but if she died, 496 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: Keith had a lot to gain. 497 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 5: It turns out that Jacqueline has a life insurance policy 498 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 5: that would pay out a significant amount to Keith. 499 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 14: The detectives found that Keith was already making inquiries about 500 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 14: a payout. 501 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 2: After learning of the pending divorce and the possible insurance motive, 502 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 2: the detectives make Keith and his daughter the sole focus 503 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 2: of their investigation. 504 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 14: The detectives got a court order for a tap on 505 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 14: both of their cell phones. 506 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 2: Then the detectives turn up the heat by bringing Keith 507 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 2: in for another round of questioning. 508 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 3: They inquire about the life insurance and Keith's interest in 509 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 3: the proceeds. 510 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 14: He talks about meeting the insurance payment for burial costs. 511 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 15: Do they cover the funeral and all that it's going 512 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 15: to get covered? 513 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 14: He gets emotional. 514 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 15: I wouldn't push this on anybody, man. 515 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 11: She's monsoling. 516 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 3: Detectives don't confront him and let him know that they 517 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 3: know he's lying and that history does not add up. Instead, 518 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 3: they bring Valeria back in for another interview. 519 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 2: Questioned by detectives, she repeats the story of how her 520 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 2: stepmother was stabbed by a panhandler. I've never seen anything 521 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 2: like that before that it was the worst in my life. 522 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 15: She didn't know it yet, but she was about to 523 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 15: have another bad day. 524 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 14: Detectives confront her with what they know. What would you 525 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 14: say if I tell you your phone? 526 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 13: Has you injury your part for a sustainial a mount time? 527 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 8: I don't know. 528 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 9: I must the best sleep. 529 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 2: The detectives aren't buying it. 530 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 14: I'm gonna be honest with you. We know that's both though. 531 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 3: Valeria must know that the detectives know more than what 532 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 3: they've disclosed. Valeria doesn't break. 533 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 2: I don't appreciate being called a liar. 534 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 14: She stops to interview. Okay, all right, cause this is. 535 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 3: Great, invoking her right to seek an attorney suggests that 536 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 3: she knows that she could be in criminal trouble. 537 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 2: The question is what is her next move. 538 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:56,719 Speaker 11: Detectives were hoping that she'd panic and contact her father 539 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 11: about the police interview. 540 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 14: Investor gators are listening to their conversations on a wiretap. 541 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 6: Authorities discovered that Keith and Valeria had rented a. 542 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: Vehicle, and the detectives have a pretty good idea where 543 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 2: they're headed. 544 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 6: Detectives alert Texas authorities to ensure that Keith and Valeria 545 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 6: do not flee the US. 546 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: Oh. 547 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 3: Keith and his order Valeria are arrested in Texas, very 548 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 3: close to the Mexico border. 549 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: Hands up, look forward, look forward, turnaround, turnaround. 550 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 2: Now all the authorities have to do is prove Keith 551 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 2: did kill Jacqueline, and they get one step closer when 552 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 2: shortly after Keith and his daughter are extradited back to Maryland, 553 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 2: Valeria's attorneys reach out to the prosecutors. 554 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 9: She wants to cut a deal. 555 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 11: This was potentially a huge break for the prosecutors. 556 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 2: Valeria's testimony could be the key to convicting her father 557 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 2: of murder, so when the detectives and prosecutors sit down 558 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 2: with her, they make it clear what they want, which 559 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 2: I'm to. 560 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 10: Figure out the truth of exactly what happened to Jacob. 561 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 15: Smith on the night of seven first twa. 562 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 3: She agrees to not leave anything out and to tell 563 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 3: the truth to the best of her recollection. 564 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: Although she claims her memory of that night is a 565 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 2: little hazy. 566 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 10: Apples doing drugs and I was. 567 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 2: Drunking, but she does remember one thing clearly. 568 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 10: How fall they stay attacked. 569 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 1: Stay with us as we get to the heart of 570 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: the mystery. This is the Fatal Attraction podcast. 571 00:33:56,280 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 2: Jacqueline Smith's stepdaughter Valeria has just told police and prosecutors 572 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 2: that it wasn't a knife wielding panhandler who killed the 573 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 2: fifty four year old engineer. Instead, she says it was 574 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 2: her father, Keith Smith, goro to a park. 575 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 10: And why people end up my folmen the day. 576 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 14: Of her but she claims that she didn't have anything 577 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 14: to do with the murder. 578 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 3: Valaria told police that she did not know what her 579 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 3: father's plans were that evening. 580 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 2: According to Valeria, she thought they were just going out 581 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 2: to celebrate her birthday. 582 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 4: Keith and Jacqueline had taken her to the VFW American 583 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 4: Legion for her birthday. 584 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 14: She could tell something wasn't right between Jacqueline and her father. 585 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 4: And definitely felt Laya was like some tension. 586 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:58,280 Speaker 3: But did she suspect that there could be a murder 587 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 3: committed that evening at all. 588 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 2: After leaving the VFW, she says she barely noticed when 589 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 2: her dad took a detour to Drewid Hill Park. 590 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 14: She says she wasn't paying attention. She was on her phone. 591 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 10: The car slowed down, and that's when I noticed that 592 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:17,839 Speaker 10: we were, you know, in like the. 593 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 2: Woods or whatever. According to Valeria, Jacqueline never even noticed 594 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:24,840 Speaker 2: that much. 595 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 14: She states that Jacqueline had dozed off, and while Jacqueline 596 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,560 Speaker 14: is still asleep, that's when she saw her father pull 597 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 14: out a knife. 598 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:41,359 Speaker 5: I didn't haven't reached and stabbed her, okay, And you're 599 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 5: making an emotion. 600 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 8: As ass right hand, right hand. 601 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 10: Yeah, she's sitting right here and staffed her. 602 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 14: Because she was sleep. Jacqueline didn't know what hit her. 603 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,760 Speaker 14: She gasped and then it was over. 604 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 10: So you see how many times I don't about go 605 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:05,799 Speaker 10: out any times in stead to I wasn't whether even try, 606 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 10: like I couldn't really what I was saying. 607 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 3: She was stunned now, just. 608 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 14: She was just sitting there. I couldn't believe it, okay. 609 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 10: And I was just looking at him like he just 610 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,960 Speaker 10: looked like I don't know who he was anymore. 611 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 2: What did he do? 612 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:20,399 Speaker 14: Now? 613 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 9: Give me the car? 614 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,439 Speaker 4: And when he told me to get out of the car, 615 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 4: I was scared. 616 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,479 Speaker 15: She said she was afraid that her father was gonna 617 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:29,839 Speaker 15: kill her next. 618 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 2: Instead, he gave her an ultimatum. 619 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 14: She says, her father said to her, I'm gonna make 620 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 14: up a story and you need to go along with it, 621 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:42,319 Speaker 14: or else we're both gonna go to jail. 622 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 5: No, calm down, down. He gave them Moneyno get me 623 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:50,759 Speaker 5: if you want me to go to jail. You wanna 624 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 5: go to jail. 625 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 14: She was panicked in a bad state from the drugs. 626 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 14: She agreed to go along with it. 627 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 2: Then, as they drove to the hospital, Keith called nine 628 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:10,799 Speaker 2: one one and gave the operator the story he'd worked out. 629 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:17,320 Speaker 14: Oh god, when he crying before? 630 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 4: What he called about one one now? 631 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 14: She says. They got rid of the knife and threw 632 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 14: it down a storm dream the night of the murder. 633 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 11: She also admitted she ditched Jacqueline's purse at the bus 634 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 11: stop a few days after the murder. 635 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:37,719 Speaker 10: He asked me to get rid of it, but to 636 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 10: put it somewhere where someone will find it, because he 637 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,799 Speaker 10: watched somebody you used their card so it would look 638 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:46,719 Speaker 10: like a real panhandler did it. 639 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 2: When Keith goes on trial in December of two thousand 640 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 2: twenty one, his daughter as the prosecution star witness. 641 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:02,799 Speaker 13: When his daughter came into the courtroom to testify, it 642 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 13: was as if she didn't even really want. 643 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:05,359 Speaker 2: To look at him. 644 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 4: Valeria's statements were very damning to Keith, but. 645 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 2: Was the prosecution star witness? Also their greatest weakness. 646 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 14: The defense bring up the fact that she's a drug addict, 647 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:26,479 Speaker 14: she has a history of lying, and she's only doing 648 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 14: this to get herself off. They attacked her for not 649 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,360 Speaker 14: turning in her father before they actually got caught. 650 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:38,279 Speaker 8: The defense also didn't put Keith on the stand to 651 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 8: refute anything or to tell his version of the story. 652 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 2: Will smearing Keith's daughter be enough to secure her father's acquittal. 653 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 3: In the end, the jury found Keith guilty of murder. 654 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,400 Speaker 6: The judge sentenced him to life in prison. 655 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 3: Family felt justice had been served. 656 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 5: Do you want to go to down? 657 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:08,560 Speaker 2: But Keith Smith wasn't alone that night. 658 00:39:09,239 --> 00:39:13,400 Speaker 3: Valaria pleads guilty to being an accessory after the fact 659 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:15,320 Speaker 3: and gets five years in prison. 660 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 4: The prosecution needed her testimony to put Keith. 661 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:25,240 Speaker 2: Away, and there's no doubt it was Keith who killed 662 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 2: the woman he'd promised to love. 663 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 13: Jacqueline Smith never thought it would be her husband who 664 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:33,759 Speaker 13: would take her life, and. 665 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 8: He brought his own daughter in on it and destroyed 666 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 8: his own family and destroyed another family as a result. 667 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 2: However, they weren't the only ones who suffered this man. 668 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:51,840 Speaker 12: Maligning people who are panhandling was incredibly harmful for Baltimore's homeless. 669 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,839 Speaker 14: He stoked the lie that people who are homeless are 670 00:39:57,880 --> 00:39:59,000 Speaker 14: a danger. 671 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 2: If that is something that Jacqueline would never have condoned. 672 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 4: Jacqueline was a loving person, an avid churchgoer, believed in. 673 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 8: God, and you know we'll never get a kind woman 674 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:18,320 Speaker 8: back who's known as a very compassionate person. 675 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 1: True love carries immense weight, especially when it flourishes between 676 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:36,480 Speaker 1: two souls intertwined in a deep bond. However, the sting 677 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 1: of betrayal cuts deeper than any headache, even more than 678 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: newfound love. The chilling aftermath of a senseless crime leaves 679 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 1: behind the memory of Jacqueline Smith. She will always be 680 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 1: remembered for her kindness, which illuminated the lives of countless individuals. 681 00:40:56,160 --> 00:41:00,480 Speaker 1: This tragic event will also leave a profound and lasting 682 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 1: impact on the city of Baltimore. Coming up on the 683 00:41:04,760 --> 00:41:07,839 Speaker 1: next episode of the Fatal Attraction Podcast. 684 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 2: She was a single mom screeping by in the ultra 685 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 2: expensive Bay Area. 686 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 5: Housing and everything else was growing more and more unaffordable. 687 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 2: Lots of people were getting pushed out. 688 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 3: Her family really struggled. 689 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,040 Speaker 2: Until she met the man of her dreams. Is this 690 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 2: your place? 691 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:34,080 Speaker 7: He grew up in the lap of luxury. 692 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:38,880 Speaker 5: He lived in a beautiful house in one of the 693 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:41,280 Speaker 5: Bay Area's most affluent neighborhoods. 694 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:43,720 Speaker 3: He could provide for her and her family. 695 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 2: This is almost like the fairy tale situation, only there 696 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 2: was no happily. Ever, after. 697 00:41:55,920 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: Doing Thanksgiving, families gather round tables filled with warm and 698 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:04,879 Speaker 1: anticipation for joyful moments. However, when a mother of five 699 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: mysteriously disappears on this festival holiday, the lives of those 700 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:13,000 Speaker 1: who care for her begin to unravel, turning their celebration 701 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:17,719 Speaker 1: into heartbreak. Tune in to the next episode of the 702 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: Fatal Attraction Podcast. 703 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:22,759 Speaker 5: We will see you in the next episode.