In 1981, two sisters and their children were living at USMC Camp Lejeune in North Carolina while their husbands were stationed in Alaska and Japan. On a warm summer evening when one of the sisters, a nurse, was working four pre-teen cousins camped out in a family vehicle. But when they entered the house the next morning they found a massacre and three family members dead. Sharon
Sager, 34, was found dead, her throat slit in the family room where three of her younger children were still sleeping. Connie Smith, 12, was dead in the living room. Her throat was also cut and she had a cut from below her left breast to her pelvis. Tyler Dash, 13, was found alone in an upstairs bedroom. His throat had been slit and he bled to death during the night. No forced entry. No robbery. No sexual abuse. There was Carlton Smith, 15, sleeping upstairs. He was arrested and spent five years in jail for pre-trial--then sprung on a technicality.He told a local paper" "I didn't do it." And his cousin, Scott Sager, who was 4 at the time and found sleeping next to his dead mom believes him.
Sager said: “I had to know for myself. When I first looked into Butch’s eyes I knew he didn’t do it. He is innocent.” But the agency that investigated the case is just as confident Smith is guilty.
A defense lawyer said: "Try painting a white room red without getting one single drop of red paint on your clothes. That is what they want us to believe happened that night. There was a lot of blood, none of it on Butch Smith."
No physical evidence at all? No murder weapon, no blood or even a trace on him and none on his clothes? Obviously Butch was a lot smarter than the ones investigating or they were completely oblivious. Most people can't even make sandwich without leaving evidence.
ReplyDeleteNot true. There was a lot of evidence including a confession. What they failed to mention in the blurb above was he didn't get arrested until he was 19 when NCIS showed up at his door to question him on the now 4 year old case. How do I know this? I am his former stepbrother and I lived with him for 4 years until his arrest.
DeleteAccording to many of the articles that I've read included in the book in my discussions with CID agents that were part of the investigation, All the evidence pointed elsewhere. I did read at some point that Butch had made some incriminating statements many years later when they finally decided to charge him, however, those two were questioned by the authenticity and The question will tactics of the agents who did the interviews. I'm not doubting your knowledge or involvement with the family. It just seems like you came along after the fact. Nevertheless I submitted a request for a FOIA but they denied my request because I wasn't part of the family. You should consider doing the same if you are part of the family. I do know that I have seen comments from other family members that were there claiming that they do not believe Butch was the killer.
DeleteAdditionally, this psycho-path "Butch" has managed to maintain his sanity and not kill since then. Or for the sake of argument even get in serious legal trouble? Interesting to say the least.
ReplyDeleteWho is to say he has not committed any other crimes? He is a truck driver.
DeleteWho's to say he has?
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ReplyDeletewas good friends with the Smith family. was in ATTOW Co. 2nd tank battalion with SGT Smith. and got to know him and his family. terrible thing that happened to them. NCIS, would not let us any where near the family during the investigation. took a while to get over not being able to help them.
ReplyDeleteMy dad married his mom, Betty, shortly after this triple murder. I lived with him 4 years. Butch was not right in the head. He also confessed in front of his mom.
DeleteIs your last name Smith? Not that that says much because she married two guys named Jim Smith.
DeleteThese people were my family on my mother's side. It's crazy that it is still "unsolved."
ReplyDeleteIt is solved. It is only unsolved due to technicality. He couldn't be tried as an adult in federal court because he was 15 when he committed the crime. NC Supreme Court ruled that NC did not have the jurisdiction because the crime occurred on a military base. Judge Rhenquist of SCOTUS declined the hear the case. How do I know? I was Butch's stepbrother immediately after the murders and lived with him until NCIS (NIS back then) showed up at our door and took Butch in for questioning and he confessed. He was 19. I was 14.
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