Keith Smith

Case identification

Keith Smith was prosecuted in the case styled State of Missouri v. Keith A. Smith, 944 S.W.2d 901 (Mo. banc 1997), associated with United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit opinion 98-2358 and opinion 01-3272.

Timeline

• August 1991 — Smith periodically stayed at the home of Reverend Parris Campbell as a guest.
• November 17, 1991 — Annie Miller was in the kitchen preparing dinner for Smith and Reverend Parris Campbell; Reverend Parris Campbell spoke to Smith in the family room and was attacked; Smith killed Reverend Parris Campbell and Annie Miller, and Smith directed Alphonso Smith to make sure the household head was dead.
• November 23, 1991 — Police discovered the bodies in the trunk of the car parked in the garage.

Background

Beginning in August 1991, Smith periodically stayed at the home of Reverend Parris Campbell as a guest.

The offence

Some time between eight o’clock and nine on the evening of November 17, 1991, Annie Miller, Reverend Parris Campbell’s housekeeper, was in the kitchen preparing dinner for Smith and Reverend Parris Campbell. Reverend Parris Campbell went downstairs to the family room and began talking to Smith.

Smith attacked Reverend Parris Campbell and began choking him with his arm. Smith then grabbed an electrical cord that was lying on a table, wrapped it around Reverend Parris Campbell’s neck, and continued to choke him. Smith left Reverend Parris Campbell, went upstairs to the kitchen, found a knife, came back downstairs, and began stabbing him.

At some point, Alphonso Smith, Smith’s fifteen-year-old cousin, came to the back door, and Smith let him in. Smith told Alphonso to make sure Reverend Parris Campbell was dead.

Smith went back upstairs to the kitchen and told Annie Miller that Reverend Parris Campbell needed her downstairs. Miller began down the stairs with Smith behind her. Smith grabbed her by the neck and began to choke her. He then wrapped an electrical cord around her neck and continued to choke her until she fell to the floor. Smith went back upstairs to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, returned downstairs, and then went upstairs again to grab a pair of scissors. Smith returned downstairs and began stabbing her with the scissors.

Smith dragged the bodies into the garage, where Reverend Parris Campbell kept two cars. Smith put both bodies into the trunk of one car. In the other car, Smith put his belongings, along with Reverend Parris Campbell’s checkbook, credit cards, cash, gold jewelry, gun, and stereo speakers. Smith and Alphonso fled in this car and picked up Smith’s girlfriend, Sylvia Ware.

Smith told Ware of the killings in detail.

Investigation

On November 23, 1991, the police discovered the bodies in the trunk of the car parked in the garage. Three pieces of electrical cord were also found in the trunk, including one still wrapped around Annie Miller’s neck.

People

• Keith Smith — defendant.
• Reverend Parris Campbell — victim; Reverend Parris Campbell kept two cars in the garage.
• Annie Miller — victim; housekeeper.
• Alphonso Smith — Smith’s fifteen-year-old cousin.
• Sylvia Ware — Smith’s girlfriend.

Outcome

Smith was sentenced to death in 1994. On October 28, 2003, the Missouri Supreme Court commuted the death sentence to life without parole.