Gayno Gilbert Smith

Background

Gayno Gilbert Smith (1938 - May 16, 2005) was a mass murderer from Iowa. He killed six people in 1961 and 1962.

Before the murders, Smith had been living in Denver, Colorado, but due to problems there had come to Martinsburg, Iowa to live with his step-mother. When he had problems with her as well, he moved to the home of his uncle Andrew and lived there.

Smith was later described as convicted of killing a rural Martinsburg family as well as his stepmother in Hedrick.

The offence

On the night of the murders in 1962, Andrew McBeth, 51, and Dora McBeth, 41, were murdered at their rural Iowa home. Smith also killed three children of the McBeth family: Amos and Anna McBeth, 19, and Donna Jean Kellogg, 17. Smith, then 24, was a nephew of the elder McBeths.

One additional daughter, Patsy Lou, 15, was wounded by Smith but escaped in the night and ran to a nearby farm for help. Kellogg's six-month-old baby, Perry, was in a crib and left unharmed.

The McBeth family lived in rural Iowa, about four miles north of Martinsburg. The night of the murders, the McBeth children—Amos, Anna, and Donna Jean—had driven to Brighton, Iowa for a dance. Donna Jean, as was her custom, had left her infant in the care of her parents.

The account stated that “Smith remained at the dance a short time, then disappeared until midnight, according to court records. He came back to pick up the group after the dance ended. Thunder, lightning and heavy rain began as the five went to a truck stop for food. When they returned to their farmhouse, the lights were out.”

The children found flashlights and made their way around the house to investigate. Donna and Amos found the murdered bodies of their parents in the garage, where the bodies had been dragged. They tried to call for help but discovered the lines had been cut.

The narrative described that “Suddenly, Smith appeared before them with a flashlight and a gun. He shot Amos in the face, then Donna. He shot Patsy in the shoulder. Though badly wounded, Amos pleaded for his life but was shot again. Patsy escaped to another room where she found her older sister, Anna, already dead.”

It further stated that “Smith chased her to a ditch in the countryside. She played cat and mouse through the ditches, crawling and crouching to escape his roving flashlight through the early morning hours. She finally reached a nearby farmhouse, where she called her uncle, Firman McBeth.”

Smith then went into hiding but was found four days later in a barn near Lake Wapello.

In addition to the Martinsburg murders, Smith confessed to having murdered his stepmother, Juanita Smith, who had been missing for several months. It was stated that Smith was later convicted of the murders and admitted to the bludgeoning death of his stepmother, Juanita Smith of Hedrick, in October 1961. Her body was found several months later in a shallow grave near her home.

Investigation

After the slaying, “a massive manhunt followed and for three days authorities searched for Smith.”

Arrest

Smith was found near Lake Wapello holed up in a barn. After being arrested, he confessed to both the McBeth murders in Martinsburg and to the murder of his stepmother, Juanita Smith, the previous October in Hedrick, Iowa.

Trial

Smith confessed to the McBeth murders in Martinsburg. He also confessed to having murdered his stepmother, Juanita Smith, who had been missing for several months.

He was convicted in September 1962 of the murders.

Sentencing

Smith was sentenced to five life terms for first-degree murder and one 50-year term for second-degree murder.

It was stated that at the time of conviction, “the state asked for the death penalty, which was still in effect in Iowa.”

Appeals

No appeal information was provided in the source text.

Outcome

Smith died in prison on May 16, 2005.

A later description stated that Smith died of natural causes due to complications resulting from a spontaneous tear in blood vessels connected to the heart. He had been serving five consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder and a 50-year sentence for second-degree murder at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.

Aftermath

Infant Perry was adopted by his uncle Firman, Andrew McBeth's brother, and raised with Firman's nine own biological children.

Perry later spoke about problems he faced growing up:

“All the way through school I was a bully because I wanted people to hurt as bad as I did. I hated everything and everybody,” he said.
“I'm sorry about that now. When I see those people today, I try to tell them that, but they just don't understand.”

Gayno Smith's body was cremated and buried in Mount Zion Cemetery next to the plot of his mother.

Also stated was that Andrew McBeth family members who were killed included “his uncle, Andrew, 51; aunt, Dora, 41; and their children - twins Amos and Anna McBeth, 19, and Donna Jean Kellogg, 17.”

It was further stated that Patsy Lou, 15, was wounded and escaped to a nearby farmstead, and that Kellogg's son, six-month-old Perry, was unharmed.