As 8:30 p.m. approached, darkness began to creep over the campground. Louise Chaput, a 51 year-old Canadian,was stabbed to death in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. Chris Hansen: What did you think you had on your hands in terms of a-- a profile of a killer? Saturday Morning Serial - Murders in the Wild - Mix 105.1 Scott Johnston: I hear the woman say that I don't have a pulse. Chris Hansen: --keeping the blood inside your body. He specifically asked the warden to do nothing to save his life. But one hiker they met on the trail here last may turned on them without warning. "The Randall I knew was not the cold-hearted person the outside world makes him out to be," she said. Scott and Sean say they had the uneasy feeling of being watched that day, and, though they didn't know it, some hikers had told the local sheriff they had seen something very odd on the nearby Appalachian Trail: strange symbols and threatening signs painted on rocks and trees. And live life. On the other hand, when cops approached Ricky Williams, he attempted to escape in Scotts truck but ended up in a fatal accident that claimed his life. Besides, the duo even shared their gratitude for Melissa Miller and claimed they would not be alive if not for the help and shelter she provided on that fateful day. Chris Hansen: That he's comin' to for shootin' two other people on the Appalachian Trail. Randall Lee Smith was sentenced to 15 years in prison -- just seven and a half years for each of the murders. Well, you know, that's the one question I have, is why? Scott had lost a lot of blood, and realized he was fading fast. Some of those ominous signs were near the Wapiti Shelter on the Appalachian Trail, just a stone's throw from where Scott and Sean pitched camp. ", Eugene Whittaker and his wife, who live nearby, have adopted Bo. Layers of blue mountains on the Appalachian Trail. Hikers protested outside the courtroom the day after his sentencing, and a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conference said Smith is the "first person convicted of murdering a hiker who has had the opportunity to leave prison". Naves in Doing Crime Iowa. ", Sean Farmer: That was just some added shock. Paul Bigley murderedJanice Balza with a hatchet. Farmer recalled saying. top story Bland County Youtuber believes he's found Appalachian Trail killer's campsite By JEFFREY SIMMONS | Staff Aug 19, 2021 Updated Jan 12, 2022 0 Mike Reed suspects these camping items belonged to convicted killer Randall Lee Smith. Sean Farmer: And the thing was, ya know-- we communicated, but, like-- like I said, my mouth was swollen. Smith as he appeared in his 1973 driver's license photo. Community reacts to Randall Lee Smith's death - roanoke.com He's taking the spike nail that was on the ground, he's stabbing her. He's been shot in the back and the neck, and he remembers thinking he could bleed to death right there. Ever. Eventually, ambulances would carry them to the local community center, where a helicopter picked them up to take them to a Roanoke hospital. Tom Lawson: Go on record, give it to the media. Her identity remained a mystery for 55 years. As the planet warms, researchers say allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. He's shot in the face. Authorities allege Smith used a .22-caliber pistol Tuesday night to shoot Sean Farmer, 33, of Tazewell and Scott Johnston, 37, of Bluefield. He would contact them with offers of work for pulp fiction magazines, take them back to his apartment, tie them up and sexually assault them, taking pictures all the while. You know, I was scared. We're both bLeeding. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Johnston and Farmer, while not sensing anything amiss as they sat by the fire, each privately wondered why Smith was staying so long. Sean Farmer: At that point, nothing happened. Tom Lawson took us back the scene of that 1981 crime. And--. It's well-known, but mostly avoided by those who know its secrets. Chris Hansen: So, you got one-- one hand on your neck--, Scott Johnston: Yeah, one hand on my neck--. The Gruesome Truth About The Climbers Who Die on Mount Everest, The Darwin Awards: 10 Of The Worst Stupid Death Stories Ever. As Johnston banged on the door and pleaded for help, Farmer wobbled from the Jeep. Chris Hansen: Now, I'm not a radiologist, (laughter) but that looks awfully darn close to the spine. Read More: Randall Lee Smith Now: Is The Killer Dead or Alive? Tom Lawson: We-- we had absolutely no idea. And I just says - I said, "Stop here." Randall Lee Smith. Similarly, a bullet also remained lodged in Scotts back, and both men endured multiple bullet wounds and surgical scars, which they bear to this day. Scott Johnston: And-- and talk-- and talking him, ya know--. On top of it, in 2008, Randall was already out on parole and was reported missing by his neighbor, which further increased worries. First off there is the standing fucking hooray that is Steve Buscemi in Ghost World. Smith apparently abandoned his home sometime in February or March, leaving with Bo. When some killers kill, we sit back and wonder how this happened. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. It does not store any personal data. And- and I felt the bullet hole. In the spring of 1981, hikers Susan Ramsay and Robert Mountford were murdered at the Wapiti shelter -- then buried in sleeping bags by their killer. However, Sean did appear in the Investigation Discovery episode, where he provided a first-hand account of the terrifying attack. Scott and Sean were near the trail on brushy mountain, miles away from civilization, heading for a creek alive with rainbow trout. That's all I want for him. We need to get back to camp.". He said, "No, I didn't shoot nobody." Randall is survived by his wife of 48 years, Janice (Kniffin) Smith; children, Trudy Skalicky, Twyla Hofer, Derick Smith and Dustin Smith; eight . The legal dispute over the pipeline's use of eminent domain was sent back to district court for a trial. He had-- a nickname: Sherman Smith: Oh, L.R. 17 Grisly & Outdoorsy Murder Cases - Investigation Discovery Hikers protested outside the courtroom the day after his sentencing, and a spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conference said Smith is the "first person convicted of murdering a hiker who has had the opportunity to leave prison". 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. And, like I say, I mean, I just stuck my finger, ya know, probably a quarter inch down inside the wound. Randall Lee Smith - Wikipedia And - I whip it back around. 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. He pleaded guilty shortly before trial commenced to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of hikers Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, both 27-year-old social workers from Maine who were murdered by Smith while hiking the . And when the door opened up, I felt that cold air, like, whish across my body. Sheriff Morgan Millirons: There were skulls and cross bones painted on rocks, you know, enter at your own risk. Well, when I stopped and got out of my truck, you know, someone walked up out of the creek bank. She then fell to the ground and played dead, and Jordan "left to find his dog," the complaint states. In addition to the gun, police found a treasure trove of evidence Randall Lee Smith had hidden deep in the woods: Scott Johnston's sunglasses, more than 20 knives, meat cleavers and other items. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Paul David Crews, a troublesome loner, who continued hiking the trail was tracked down eight days later and arrested. Smith, carrying a fishing rod and a bag, walked up and said he recently had found the dog. As Mountford turns over and starts to get up, he shoots him in the cheek. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. A True Crime Publication that looks into both new crimes and long lost forgotten crimes. Tom Lawson: Saying-- yes-- "You all need to make a statement saying that there's no serial killer walkin' the Appalachian Trail. Chris Hansen: This has come full circle now. He served 14 years total before being released from prison. Sean Farmer: And then a pretty-- pretty big scar here. Glatman was arrested in 1958, caught in the act of kidnapping what would have been his fourth known murder victim, Lorraine Vigil. Tom Lawson: I think his motive with Susan was sexual. "I think he got what he deserved," Stafford said. Scott Johnston: The - the whole time we were sitting on the porch, my - my main concern was for Sean because I knew he was shot in the face. He stuck a finger in the bullet hole to stop the gusher of blood. You first cross paths with him as a member of the Sheriff's department in 1981 investigating a double murder. I see the-- the shelter as I did then. Once Sean, Scott, and Ricky completed their dinner, they sat around the campfire, swapping stories when things took a sudden dark turn. Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions. However, Sean and Scott did not think much of such issues as they were determined to enjoy the day to the fullest. The only leads were items the police found near the murder sceneincluding items belonging to victim Susan Ramsay. If you must, fight for your life. Shooting survivors share incredible story with 'Dateline NBC' After prison, Smith moved back to Pearisburg to live with his mother. Even now, it seems impossible to the two friends that they survived the shooting, and that wild ride down the mountain. And I say, "Call 911. I mean-- and luckily, I mean, he tried it with us. Murder on the Appalachian Trail - Adventure Possible Susan Ramsay, 27, and Robert Mountford, 27. But the Miller's home is about forty miles from the nearest hospital. Smith was arrested that day after attempting to escape in one of the victim's trucks and subsequently crashing. Lawson was immediately suspicious of Randall Lee Smith. She played a massive role in saving Scott and Seans lives as she tended to their injuries, offered them first aid, and even called 911 for help. The enormous vat of nacho cheese that you brought to my birthday party last weekend. Randall Lee Smith was suspected of shooting two fishermen near Dismal Creek. "I didn't even know I had been shot," he said. Adulting with Michelle Buteau and Jordan Carlos, Waiting for Impact: A Dave Holmes Passion Project. Scott Johnston: By the time I was loaded in the helicopter, I was starting to, like, spit up blood. I hammered them. Tom Lawson: We found a fingerprint-- bloody fingerprint in the book. Virginia Smith learned at church Sunday morning about Randall Smith's death. His parents were unable to bail him out and he was incarcerated. Tom Lawson - who is still pained by those 1981 murders - will never get his chance to ask Smith why he killed those two hikers. This page uses cookies and other similar technologies to improve your experience on our services. Both men were shot twice, but survived. Lawson and virtually every lawman in Virginia knew Randall Lee Smith as a killer -- the man responsible for the 1981 double murder on the Appalachian Trail. Scott Johnston: And - and we make it down to the botTom of the mountain. Both survived. Chris Hansen: Did you get a name on this guy? The positive identification of "Boulder Jane Doe" was an 18-year-old woman from Phoenix, Arizona named Dorothy Gay Howard. Mustang Wanted Dead?? "Oh, yeah, everybody did," said Mark Albert, who sat with Stafford at a small store not far from Smith's neighborhood. At some point during the evening, Randall Lee Smith abruptly pulled out a .22 caliber revolver and shot Sean Farmer and Scott Johnston. Chris Hansen: How long did it take before the ambulance got here? Carlie Roberts (left) of Bethany Beach, Del., and Jordan Price of Atlanta hike toward Pearisburg on Sunday.