Russell Lee Smith

Case record: Russell Lee Smith

Timeline

• February 6, 1947 — Russell Lee Smith was born in Bessemer, Alabama, United States.
• 1951 — Smith’s father was killed in an ore mine accident.
• 1952 — Smith’s mother died less than a year later, leaving him orphaned at the age of 4.
• 1964 — Smith’s only sister died of a heart attack at the age of 19.
• 17 years old — Smith began to live with his aunt Evelyn Harris in Dayton.
• 1968 — Smith married Laura.
• 1970 — Smith was sentenced to one to ten years at the Mansfield Reformatory after pleading guilty to first degree manslaughter for the killing of a man during a shootout at a Dayton bar.
• July 1971 — Smith was placed on probation after 10 months in prison.
• Two weeks prior to May 24, 1975 — Smith spoke with Evelyn Harris about all members of his family having died early and made her the beneficiary on his life insurance policy because “nobody knew what's going to happen.”
• May 24, 1975 (around midnight; later 2:22 a.m.) — Smith carried out a spree killing in Dayton, Ohio, United States; he killed two people, wounded nine others, took two women hostage, and raped them before committing suicide.
• May 24, 1975 (same day) — Smith committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Background

Russell Lee Smith (February 6, 1947 – May 24, 1975) was an American spree killer.

Smith was born in Bessemer, Alabama. His father was killed in an ore mine accident in 1951, and his mother died less than a year later, leaving him orphaned at the age of 4. His only sister died of a heart attack at the age of 19. When he was 17 years old, Smith began to live with his aunt Evelyn Harris in Dayton. In 1968, he married Laura, but Laura later left him and Smith became despondent and stopped caring for anything.

Smith had been arrested repeatedly for drunkenness, armed robbery, auto theft, and attempted breaking and entering.

In 1970, Smith was sentenced to one to ten years at the Mansfield Reformatory after pleading guilty to first degree manslaughter for the killing of a man during a shootout at a Dayton bar. During his time in prison, two psychiatrists who had examined him found that he had numerous traits of a sociopathic nature and that he would react violently during extremely stressful situations, which they said would undoubtedly cause trouble in his future. Despite that assessment, Smith was placed on probation in July 1971 after 10 months in prison, and he continued to receive psychiatric treatment afterwards.

According to Evelyn Harris Smith was an easy-going and soft-spoken person, but was irascible when somebody pushed him.

Two weeks prior to the murders, Smith talked with Evelyn Harris about the fact that all members of his family had died early and made her the beneficiary on his life insurance policy because “nobody knew what's going to happen.”

The offence

Smith and his girlfriend Joan Gatewood drove to a local motorcycle club where he wanted to confront Joseph Picket, whom he suspected of dating Gatewood.

When he called Picket outside, an argument ensued between Smith and Picket. During the argument, Smith drew a .38-caliber pistol and shot his rival in the chest, or neck. Smith also wounded Ocie Lee Curry with a shot in the arm when Curry came outside to see what was going on, and Smith then went back to his car in which Gatewood had waited.

Smith apparently then killed Gatewood with a shot in the head. After the killing, Smith drove towards St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, shooting and seriously injuring James Bailey in front of a YMCA building.

At the hospital emergency ramp, Smith pushed Gatewood's body out of the car and then drove on the highway towards the suburbs. When he passed the car of George Christopherson, Smith forced Christopherson off the road and wounded him by firing twice through the windshield.

A few blocks further, Smith encountered the Baltozer family who was just entering their car in the parking lot of a movie theater. Smith approached them and fired several rounds into the vehicle, injuring Charles and Carole Baltozer, as well as their son Charles Jr. by shooting each of them twice. Smith also seriously wounded their daughter Heather with a shot in the stomach.

Afterwards, Smith returned to his car, drove around the suburbs, and stopping at a diner took Paulette Couch hostage.

A while later, Smith approached the car of 22-year-old Tom Edwards who was about to let out his girlfriend Lisa Hardin at her home. Holding Edwards at bay with his gun, Smith forced Hardin into his own vehicle. Smith then killed Couch by shooting her in the head when she tried to escape.

Next, Smith knocked at a house and asked the girl who opened the door if he could use a bed of theirs. When she answered no, Smith kidnapped her too and drove to a wooded area. There, Smith wrecked his car during a struggle with the two girls and then ordered them into a ravine, where he raped both of them.

Heading back to the road with his hostages, Smith and the women went to another house to ask for directions. At the sight of the gun in his hand, the woman who had answered his call slammed the door shut. Smith then fired two shots into the dwelling.

During the next stop, Smith wounded Ann Wenclewicz at her home with a shot in the neck after she told him that she didn't have a car.

At 2:22 a.m., Smith flagged down the car of 24-year-old Frank Smith and his passenger Anthony Brown. As Smith was about to shoot the driver, police closed in on him, and he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Investigation / arrest

Police closed in on Smith at 2:22 a.m. during the incident when he flagged down the car of Frank Smith and Anthony Brown.

People affected

Victims killed

• Joan Marie Gatewood, 16 — Smith’s girlfriend; Smith killed her with a shot in the head.
• Paulette A. Couch, 25 — Smith killed her by shooting her in the head when she tried to escape.

Victims wounded

• James Bailey, 27 — Smith shot and seriously injured him in front of a YMCA building.
• Charles Baltozer, 38
• Carole Baltozer, 38
• Charles Baltozer Jr., 17
• Heather Ann Baltozer, 6 — shot in the stomach.
• George Christopherson, 28 — wounded by firing twice through the windshield.
• Ocie Lee Curry, 27 — shot in the arm.
• Ann Wencelwicz, 19 — shot in the neck.

Hostage/rape victims mentioned

• Lisa Hardin, 19 — raped.
• Unidentified woman, 18 — raped.

Other injured party named

• Joseph Picket, 29 — Smith shot him in the chest, or neck.

Method and instruments

Smith used a .38-caliber pistol.

Other details

Smith was associated with repeated prior arrests, including drunkenness, armed robbery, auto theft, and attempted breaking and entering.

Outcome

Russell Lee Smith committed suicide by shooting himself in the head as police closed in at 2:22 a.m. on May 24, 1975, after killing two people, wounding nine others, taking two women hostage, and raping both of them.