Reginald Smith

Overview

Reginald Smith was a suspected serial killer who pleaded guilty to the 1994 murder of elderly woman Dorothy Cooper. Smith admitted to the killing of Dorothy Cooper and also to the attempted murder and robbery of nature guide Virginia Hoffmann. Prosecutors waived the death penalty in exchange for the guilty pleas. Homicide detectives also suspected Smith in the murders of at least two other elderly women, but there was never enough evidence to charge him. As part of the plea deal, Smith agreed to speak to Miami and Miami-Dade detectives about his involvement in those cases.

Timeline

• January 1995 — Smith was first arrested regarding the Cooper and Hoffmann beatings and the armed robbery of a hair salon.
• November 20, 2013 — Smith was sentenced to life in prison.
• November 21, 2013 — Smith pleaded guilty to the 1994 murder of Dorothy Cooper.
• December 9, 1994 — Cooper was found beaten to death in the bedroom of her home just west of Miami Shores.
• November 29, 1994 — Helen Stiles was found stabbed and beaten in the kitchen of her home in the 900 block of Northeast 82nd Street.
• December 22, 1994 — Virginia Hoffmann was attacked; she survived and told police about how the attacker gained entry.
• Christmas Day, 1994 — Mae Pergolese was found beaten to death inside her home in the 200 block of Northwest 119th Street.
• August — Smith was released from prison after serving three years of a 42-month sentence.
• September — Police had been after another serial killer since September who had strangled or asphyxiated five prostitutes along the Tamiami Trail in west Dade.
• November and December 1994 — The string of slayings occurred in North Miami-Dade.

Background

Smith was described as a three-time loser and ex-con. He was described as armed, dangerous, and a crack-cocaine abuser with a history of violence in prison. Smith had tattoos on his face: one on his right cheek with the word "Red" spelled backwards, and a teardrop etched into his left cheek. Authorities at the time believed Smith had been using crack cocaine and that he had a lengthy criminal record for armed burglary, armed robbery, and other violent crimes.

The offence

Smith admitted to the 1994 killing of Dorothy Cooper, 79, who was found beaten to death in the bedroom of her home just west of Miami Shores. The attack was discovered when Cooper, a widow, failed to respond to a senior citizens’ transport service van that picked her up every Friday. Cooper had lived in her house since 1946.

Smith also admitted to the attempted murder and robbery of nature guide Virginia Hoffmann, 73. Hoffmann was beaten so badly that she nearly died.

Homicide detectives suspected Smith in additional murders of elderly women, but there had never been enough evidence to charge him. The suspected additional elderly victims were:

• Helen Stiles, 81, who was found bludgeoned and stabbed to death in her Shorecrest house. The home had been ransacked with no signs of forced entry.
• Mae Pergolese, 79, whose best friend found her beaten to death inside her home not far from Cooper’s home.

The string of slayings began as home-invasion robberies and occurred in North Miami-Dade in November and December 1994. Police warned older women against opening their front doors to strangers. Police said the killer may have been using a ruse to get victims to open their doors and continued the crime spree because of a crack cocaine habit.

On the attack on Hoffmann, Hoffman said a teen-age girl had knocked on her door asking to use the telephone. As she handed the girl a portable phone, someone hit Hoffmann on the head. Detectives later arrested a teen-age girl they said was an accomplice of Smith, and they suspected other accomplices may have been involved in the crimes.

Police described Smith’s first victim in the suspected series as Helen Stiles, who was found on Nov. 29 in the kitchen of her home at the 900 block of Northeast 82nd Street. She was stabbed and beaten.

Police identified Dorothy Cooper as the next victim, found beaten to death in her bedroom on Dec. 9. She lived in the 10700 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue.

Police identified Mae Pergolese as the last victim, found beaten to death on Christmas Day in her home in the 200 block of Northwest 119th Street.

Investigation

Police said they had evidence linking all four attacks, including three widows who were savagely beaten to death and a fourth woman who survived a similar attack. John Farrell, the chief of criminal investigations for Metro-Dade police, warned: "This is an extremely dangerous man." Investigators said they wanted to get the suspect before he hurt someone else.

Authorities at the time believed Smith had been using crack cocaine. Detectives also suspected Smith in other cases involving the murders of at least two other elderly women, but there had never been enough evidence to charge him.

Arrest

Smith was first arrested in January 1995 regarding the Cooper and Hoffman beatings as well as the armed robbery of a hair salon.

Police also said they identified Smith by witnesses and detectives as the man who walked into a barber shop in northeast Dade and robbed the owner and patrons of several thousand dollars at knifepoint, with no one hurt. Police later said Smith should not be hard to recognize because of his facial tattoos.

Detectives arrested a teen-age girl they said was an accomplice of Smith.

Trial

Smith awaited trial for the vicious beating death of an elderly North Miami-Dade woman for 18 years.

Smith pleaded guilty. In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors waived the death penalty.

Smith’s attorney, Jimmy Dellaferra, said:

“The fact that he has taken responsibility for his crimes, and will be leaving prison in a body bag, is appropriate justice.”

Cooper’s daughter, Judy Cooper, said:

“There’s no such thing as closure,” said Cooper’s daughter, Judy Cooper, 69, of Boston. “He has no remorse. This man has no conscience. He targeted the most vulnerable.”

Sentencing

Smith was sentenced to life in prison on November 20, 2013.

Appeals

The case material did not include an appeals history.

Outcome

Smith pleaded guilty and received a life sentence. Prosecutors waived the death penalty as part of the plea deal. Smith agreed to speak to Miami and Miami-Dade detectives about his involvement in the other suspected murders for which there had never been enough evidence to charge him.

Smith was convicted in the robbery for which he was already serving a life sentence. Smith was released from state prison after serving 36 months of a 42-month sentence on a gun-possession conviction.

Aftermath

Authorities suspected Smith in at least two additional elderly-woman murders, and a suspected accomplice was identified and later convicted for a murder:

• Smith’s suspected accomplice, Barbara Laidler, was serving life in prison for the murder of Helen Stiles.

Judy Cooper praised the latest prosecutors, Gary Winston and Lisa Jacobs, for their work to resolve the case, and said: "It should never have gone on for 19 years."

Eleanor Dukas improved her alarm system and said:

"All the widows are a little scared," Dukas said. "I never let anybody in that I don't recognize. But now, I'm even more careful."

Joe Cuzan said:

"The entire neighborhood is in a state of alarm," he said.

Cuzan described Cooper in his neighborhood remarks:

"She was real sassy, a tough old lady," said Cuzan, 28, who moved next to Cooper 18 years ago. "We were like best friends, but she would never invite anybody into her home. She was one of the oldiest goldies left," he said.

Dukas said of Pergolese:

"I thought she had the safest house in the neighborhood. She had bars inside the windows and a bolt lock on the front door. There is no way anyone could get in, unless she let them."

Other details

• Smith was described as 6 feet tall and 175 pounds.
• Police said he was released from prison in August after serving three years of a 42-month sentence.
• Police said they were looking for another serial killer who had strangled or asphyxiated five prostitutes since September; that killer was not caught.
• Police warned women in north Dade not to open their doors to strangers on Thursday, after the attacks.
• Cooper was found beaten to death just west of Miami Shores.
• Cooper’s failed response to the senior citizens’ transport service van led to the discovery of the killing.
• Helen Stiles’ Shorecrest house had been ransacked with no signs of forced entry.
• The crime was discovered when Cooper failed to respond; Cooper was described as a feisty, independent woman.
• The case material included that Smith was convicted in the robbery and had been serving a life sentence at the time the other cases lingered.