Tom Findlay, Susan Smith's ex-lover, started a new life in Birmingham, Ala. Cary Findlay, who is Tom Findlay's father and Susan Smith's former employer, let his mansion become a bed-and-breakfast; he now divides his time between England and Union. On the weekend of Oct. 15, Tom invited Susan to his father's estate for a hot-tub party. After initially standing by Susans side until he learned the truth and then grieving over the small caskets of his boys at their funeral while Susanwas in jail, it now appears David has been able to move on. Susans thenhusband David Smith is nowremarried and a father again. Russell has not attended the trial but may be called as a witness. I was not ready to assume the important responsibilities of being a father, Findlay wrote in a statement issued through his lawyers. I want you to know that I will always love and care for you for the rest of my life. In the past nine years, Smith has been disciplined at least five times, including self-mutilation and the use and possession of narcotics or marijuana. Since she said there were no other cars on the road, there was no reason for her to see the red light. (The divorce was granted after her arrest. ", But the letters, both friendly in tone, did not reveal what witnesses described as Smith's growing anxiety or her ploys for attention from Findlay, who said she gratefully described his "Dear Susan" missive as "the sweetest letter she'd ever gotten.". Hours later, a co-worker called to ask if he had heard the news about Susan-- and Findlay's first thought was, "Oh my God, she's killed herself. As you can imagine, the sexual abuse continued and this time with more frequency. Brazilian, 28 years old, medical professional. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Susan Smiths childhood was disturbing. The letter is dated Oct. 17, 1994. "And she said, Everything.' , filed for divorce in September 1994 and it was finalized in May 1995. The case of Susan Smith, the woman who killed her young sons in 1994, will be explored in the upcoming Lifetime docuseries Cellmate Secrets. Anyhow, my advice to you is to wait and be very choosy about your next relationship. Looking forward to reading more true crime articles by you. This is "a difficult letter to write because I know how much you think of me . You are intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, understanding, and possess many other wonderful qualities that I and many other men appreciate. Smith was also disciplined in 2000 for having sex four times with prison guard Houston Cagle, who later pleaded guilty and spent three months behind bars for the crime. Because of her position, she became exposed to affluent people and how the wealthy lived. Linda, Susans mother, always consented to the borrowing, but on the other hand, she felt entitled to guide the couples life, mainly in the aspects related to Michaels upbringing. Toms reaction was shock and he reiterated that the two would never have a sexual relationship again. I will always be here for you! Halleck said that she had sex with Tom Findlay, 28, the textile heir, but that he was not the main focus of her life. In addition to Findlay, several other Conso Products employees testified. In May 1991, the stress of losing a child was too much for Davids parents. There is someone out there for you. The judge took into consideration the abuse suffered by the defendant. you are intelligent, beautiful, sensitive, and possess many other wonderful qualities that I and many other men appreciate. They were screaming, weren't they, and that's why you killed them?" Most of them have left town. You will without a doubt make some lucky man a great wife. She was also introduced to her boss's son, Tom Findlay. Miller saved videos of local newscasts and the Smiths' network interviews, and recently appeared in a Smith documentary for the Arts and Entertainment Network. You are a very special person and that is part of why making love to you is so wonderful. But seeing you kiss another man put things back into perspective. Employees of Winn-Dixie, the grocery store where David Smith worked, paid for it as a lasting tribute. He noted that as good as Smiths children may be, the fact was he did not want any children. SC State House "We all felt like Susan was a really disturbed person," said juror Deborah Benvenuti. That man, Tom Findlay, took the stand and read a letter he had written to Smith breaking off their relationship. Jurors in Susan Smith's murder trial heard the words written by an ex-boyfriend that prosecutors say drove the young mother to kill her two sons: ``I just don't want children.'' In a letter to Smith written a week before 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex were drowned in a lake, Tom Findlay described her as ``intelligent, beautiful, A nine-man, three-woman jury unanimously votes for life in prison. "He's got my babies," Smith said. . Her father committed suicide when she was 7 years old. She wept and rocked in her seat as he described seeing "a small hand" pressed against the glass of the car window. Current Mayor Harold Thompson said while it is something the people of Union try to forget, its a part of history now., ABC News Im appreciative of your honesty with me. On Oct. 18, Findlay wrote Smith, breaking off the relationship because he did "not want the responsibility of children." Over the next week,. Barring an appeal, she will be in prison for at least 80 years- condemned not to die, but to live with her ghastly memories. An autopsy of the children proved that the two boys were still alive when they were submerged in the water. Union - isn't that where that woman drowned her babies? In her confession, she stated that she wanted to die and was going to her mothers house, but she gave up. As a $17,000-a-year secretary to Cary Findlay, Smith worked for one of Union's wealthiest people. Whether you are using plastic or fabric containers, Earthboxes, or even old buttercream buckets, there are a few important things to consider before planting. Crime.About.com All the time, people bring them gifts. ", Paul Patrick, a florist, says, "It was a real tragedy but I don't think anybody's still dwelling on it three years later. She was later promoted to the executive secretary position, as she was dating Tom Findlay, the son of her boss. According to a deposition taken in March in connection with Susan and David's divorce (which became final in May), soon after she began working at Conso Products in 1993, Susan took up with. Thank you for the info. Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com. Her experience as an accountant earned her a position at Conso Products. The relationship deteriorated more and more. Susan Smith's nervous paramour cast doubt today on charges that she killed her children to pursue their romance, saying Smith's anguish actually stemmed from a recent affair with her own stepfather. Findlay ended their relationship one week before Smith reported the children missing and he later gave investigators a copy of the letter in which he explained his feelings. The contempt for Susan was overwhelming, not only because of the racial tension triggered by the false accusation of a black man, but because her motive was extremely futile and selfish: to get rid of her children in order to maintain a relationship with a rich man. In his Dear John letter, he was honest with the girl and told her they would never be together although I did think he sounds like a total D-bag (re: ..maybe somebay youll meet a nice guy like me. Whatever!). Jurors heard Smith's love letters read aloud and watched a videotaped television interview Smith gave shortly after reporting that her two toddlers had been kidnapped by a black carjacker last Oct. 25. ", No other details of the purported affair between Russell and Smith were disclosed, and defense attorney David Bruck underscored the revelation on cross-examination, asking, "She had had a relationship with her own stepfather, Bev Russell?". State police investigator David Caldwell testified that Smith was first accused of killing her sons just a day after they disappeared. Susan became famous for the brutality and coldness with which she killed her two children. Im sure that your kids are good kids, but it really wouldnt matter how good they may be the fact is, I just dont want children. Most Eligible Bachelor in Union Whatever! Smith's natural father committed suicide when she was 6. But something was not right in their relationship, Susan was extremely materialistic and always borrowed money from her mother. Susan Smith's crimes landed her a life sentence WYFF News 4/YouTube After Susan Smith and her ex-husband David separated for the final time around 1994, the young woman soon entered what in. And you know, nice girls dont sleep with married men. "But forgive--that's something I'm going to have to deal with, I guess, further on down the road. After she made emotional pleas on television for the safe return of her children, the incident gained worldwide media attention. The witnesses were pivotal figures in Smith's life-men she had slept with, people who'd loved her and, in the case of her ex-husband, someone whose life she had ruined. And as for your relationship with B. "Susan, I am not mad at you about what happened" at the hot-tub party, Findlay wrote. ``But dont be discouraged. In January 1994, Susan started dating a co-worker from her job at Conso Products Tom Findlay. After the first sentence, insert eyes rolling in parentheses. In 1994, Smith strapped her two sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex, into their car seats and pushed the vehicle into a lake. A letter. Her sexual activity in prison was discovered after she contracted a sexually transmitted disease. ``Again, you will always have my friendship. Susans mother, Linda Russell, continuedto support her daughter,claiming as recently as five years ago thatSusan simply lost touch with reality at the momentshe murdered her sons. Susan, I value our friendship very much. Susan Smith's most intense extramarital affair was with a newfound employee at Conso Products in 1993. They made a point of showing jurors the videotaped interviews in which Smith tearfully maintained the kidnapping hoax. Susan graduated from Union High School in 1989 and went to work in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket as a checkout girl. Final testimony for the prosecution includes a tearful David Smith saying, 'All my hopes and dreams, everything that I had planned for the rest of my life-it ended that day. The divorce apparently led her millworker father, Harry Vaughan, to commit suicide one month later, an event that may have helped create the emotional vacuum that has haunted her ever since. The town of 10,000 started the event following the Susan Smith murder trial to showcase its softer side," the Journal wrote. In 1994, Susan sued for divorce, alleging infidelity, and David later counter-sued, also alleging infidelity. TRUE CRIME - CURRENT TRIALS, OLD or COLD CASES, Harvest Delicious Red Tomatoes with Red Rocket in Hot Climates South of Memphis, Tomatoes are a popular and versatile crop that can be grown in many climates, but it is important to choose the right variety for your climate. These feelings may change one day, but I doubt it. Actually, I am very thankful. TIME Her ex, Tom Findlay, had broken up with her after having stated that he was not interested in having or raising children. Findlay said he had begun seeing Smith again last September after she assured him that she was in the process of divorcing her husband, a 24-year-old produce worker at the local Winn-Dixie. After Smith confessed, hundreds came to stand on the ramp, pray over that ground, throw flowers on the quiet surface of the lake and, later, touch the smooth granite monuments erected by the waterside. Smith was convicted of two counts of murder and is serving a life sentence in Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, S.C. She is currently based at the Leath Correctional Institution near Greenwood, South Carolina. Susan may say that she wouldnt care (copy unintelligible) husband had an affair, but you and I know, that is not true. The story gained national attentionwith the images of 3-year-old Michaeland 1-year-old Alex flashed on television screens across the country, including images of Smith and her grieving husband, David. Even before Susans confession, investigators already suspected her. Brackett is grateful for the fellowship that grew from the Smith case. However, when he began to learn more details of the story, he came to his senses. As he told it, he and Susan became lovers in early 1994. Susan Smith Trial: 1995 Defendant: Susan SmithCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: David Bruck and Judy ClarkeChief Prosecutor: Tommy PopeJudge: . 90 Day Fiance's Hamza's Green Card Status 'Battle' Amid Memphis Divorce, '90 Day Fiance' Star Memphis Smith Alleges Hamza Moknii Was 'Abusive', 90 Day's Hamza Requested Paternity Test for Daughter Amid Memphis Split. Susan had asked if Tom had said anything about her, but he didnt say anything. UNION, S.C., July 25 -- A sobbing Susan Smith apologized Tuesday to her ex-husband for killing their children after he twice broke down in tears while testifying in the sentencing phase of her. But just dont get seriously involved with anyone until you have done the things in life that you want to do, first. In the years since the murders, Davidhas switchedto a career as a commercial truck driver, moved 25 miles away from Union to the town of Moore, S.C., married Tiffany in 2003 and became the father to a girl and a boy, Savannah and Nicolas. The jury took less than 3 hours to return a guilty verdict on two charges of murder. In March 1992, the couple separates, and they try to save their marriage between comings and goings during the next seven months. ``One more thing before I go, please dont ever hesitate to call me if you ever need anything! If Smith in fact was rational, why risk a police investigation? But unfortunately, it won't be me. I was not in my right mind., In July 1995, Smith was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, which is around the corner in November 2024. Brown (reportedly friend Benjy Brown), of course you have to make your own decisions in life, but remember you have to live with the consequences also. I was a good mother, and I loved my boys. I really wanted to be with you and hated that I wasnt. Where is Bev Berverly Russell? Before she and David began to date, Susan told a psychiatrist, she had an affair with a store manager who was subsequently transferred out of town. Beverly Russell, a leader of the Christian Coalition at one time, and Linda Russell split up before the trial. "Dear Susan," Findlay said. The Barnes family of Maple Shade, N.J., sent an arrangement of carnations and daisies. If a mother who deliberately drowns her children in a pique over a failed romance doesn't deserve to die, who does? 1000s of new photos added daily. David felt left out. In June 1993 he started dating a co-worker. ", The urge to kill in the name of justice poses infernally tricky issues-and the outcome in the Smith case may be the clearest evidence yet of America's persistent ambivalence about capital punishment. The flowers came with thank-you notes. . "Really, I think this is an example of how little this situation is on the minds of people who live here. I love writing and I also love criminal cases, nothing better than combining business with pleasure. Susan Smith and Tom Findlay; the boyfriend After breaking up with David, Susan started working as a bookkeeper at the largest employer in the area, Conso Products. Susan and David Smith were married on March 15, 1991 and moved into Davids great-grandmothers home; the two could not afford to buy a house. ". Caldwell said. I mean, one minute you were a kid, and the next minute you were having kids. They parked on the ramp. Shortly after joining the company she was promoted to the position of executive secretary to Consos president and CEO, Carey Findlay. It was such an unbearable thing.". The fact is, I just don't want children. TUESDAY, Oct. 25 _ Ms. Smith tells authorities her two sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex, were taken by a gunman who jumped into her car at a traffic light. She was really obsessed. Findlay said he had begun seeing Smith again last September after she assured him that she was in the process of divorcing her husband, a 24-year-old produce worker at the local Winn-Dixie where Susan Smith worked before becoming a secretary at Conso, the local plant owned by Findlay's father. 'You don't have all the guilt,' Beverly Russell, Smith's stepfather, says at her trial. But others, when they travel, won't say where they're from because they'd rather not answer questions. Susan was already familiar with such a situation and she was able to comfort David in the following months. . In late October and early November 1994, the town of Union, S.C., ceased to be just another speck on the map. The children received love, attention, and were very happy. At the age of 16 her stepfather started to molest her. Something went wrong and their Suburban rolled into the lake. She flirted with another man, and Tom, to judge by the Dear Jane letter he sent her two days later, was at least somewhat offended. David never questioned the paternity of the child despite their separation. Keep scrolling below to find out more about Susan Smiths case, trial and to find out where she is today. However, some feel it will never be forgotten. She said she wanted to kill herself and her children, but in the end she got out of the car and sent the boys to their deaths. CAPTION: Thomas Findlay, right, Susan Smith's former boyfriend, leaves courthouse. She seemed to be unhappy with her pregnancy, complaining almost all the time about her condition. This year, as the bands and barbecue mavens set up, television trucks arrived on Main Street, but not for anybody's sauce recipe. Burning fossil fuels for energy rel, Growing Tomatoes in Containers: Essential Tips for a Successful Harvest, Growing tomatoes in containers is a great way to enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables without taking up too much space. Shell have to keep behaving herself like she has been as of late, an insider told People in November 2020. He even admitted to having sexual encounters with Susan as recently as August 1994, less than three months before she killed her sons. Russell and Smith's mother, Linda, are separated. What more is there to say?". Keep scrolling below to find out more about Susan Smiths case, trial and to find out where she is today. Take an eye for an eye, prosecutor Tommy Pope urged the jury. He is known to some local young women as "The Catch.". At the time David was engaged to another woman and broke it off to be with Susan. . http://www.abcnews4.com/story/26887424/a-look-back-the-susan-smith-case. She is currently serving his sentence at Leath Correctional Institution in South Carolina. "She was crying--she was very upset," Findlay said. 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman Is a Proud Mom of 14: See Her Kids Today! I would hate for people to perceive you as an unreputable [sic] person. After the birth of their second son, Alexander Tyler, on August 5, 1993, David and Susan resumed their relationship, but within three weeks David once again moved out and they decided that the relationship was over. "Had I been true to you in my responsibilities, you would have been stronger in yourself, not needing to be constantly supported and reassured emotionally. FOR THIS NEWSWEEK POLL, PRINCETON SURVEY RESEARCH ASSOCIATES TELEPHONED 752 ADULTS JULY 27-28. You are a true friend. , whose father owned the mill she worked at. Brackett, who is still something of a spokesman for Union's black community. Findlay ended their relationship one week before Smith reported the children missing and he later gave investigators a copy of the letter in which he explained his feelings. These evil perverts should be castrated (preferably with a blunt knife). Send it to us! Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Williams asked again. She worried about her hair and makeup in front of the television cameras and sometimes asked about Tom Findlays whereabouts. Findlay senior owns a company called Conso Inc., which makes interior-decorating products; he is among the wealthiest Union County residents. . What got into Susan Smith's mind that night, only the devil knows. ``For my first two years in Union, I dated very little. Despite the comings and goings of their marriage, they were always present in the upbringing and education of their children. What was only supposed to last a few months, resulted in a promotion to accountant at the store. "Everything I had planned on, my life with my kids, was gone. Nov 01, 2008 #1 28 year old Tom Findlay had no idea when he began a relationship with Susan Smith, who worked within his father's company, that his name would be irrevocably linked with a tragedy that horrified the state, the nation, and many around the world. "They thought she should get a death sentence." But the rich, handsome 27-years-old broke things off with her in October writing Smith a letter clarifying he wasn't ready for a relationship involving kids. She soon became pregnant and they decided to get married. The letter is a classic of its caddish kind; Findlay read it aloud in court. 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