PA PA - Judy Smith, 50, Philadelphia, 10 April 1997

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There were two trails leading to the location of her "camp". One started near the Biltmore House and the other was suppose to be closer. It began off hwy 150 according to the article but I have been unable to locate that on the map. 151 but not 150. That would be Chandler, NC which is still Bumcombe County and the Pisgah Nat. Forrest.
 
Does anyone else think it strange that Jeff Smith didn't visit NC until 2 years after his wife's body was found. Wouldn't most people want to know where she died? Want to talk to LE and find out what is going on?
 
JeannieC said:
Does anyone else think it strange that Jeff Smith didn't visit NC until 2 years after his wife's body was found. Wouldn't most people want to know where she died? Want to talk to LE and find out what is going on?
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I find his reactions very odd. I do not ever like it when a spouse talks about thier missing spouse in bad terms. Even if their marriage was in trouble, when a spouse went missing, I would think that their first instinct would be worry and fear.

I believe that she did not end up on that mountain of her own free will. Possibly she was held hostage prior to being lead up the mountian. I tend to lean towards a hit-for-hire scheme or something along these lines.
 
JeannieC said:
Does anyone else think it strange that Jeff Smith didn't visit NC until 2 years after his wife's body was found. Wouldn't most people want to know where she died? Want to talk to LE and find out what is going on?
Click to expand...

Good catch! It is very odd, especially when he appeared to be searching for her in other ways. If it was my spouse, I would have been down there in a heart beat.
 
Since the husband did say that she visited the Raleigh area when he was in a weight loss facility there, maybe she fell in love with the area and wanted to explore the rest of NC in the future. The Biltmore House in the mountains sounds like a very nice start, if that were the case.
 
Can anybody give me a good reason why she didn't stay in a hotel in NC? Was it because she was losing her mind? She had credit cards in her own name, so it doesn't make sense to me that she wanted to sleep in her car. Someone, who claims they may have seen her, recalls that she asked if she could park in their lot and sleep in her car.
 
Oh man- I forgot to consider that it was 1997 so people back then did not have some of the technology we have today! Thanks for pointing that out, LOL. I'm an air head sometimes-ugh.

For some reason, my mind wants to keep that someone is driving the rented car around still. I have no clue why! But this can't be possible if someone turned in the car or if someone called in it or did whatever to get it back. Then again, we don't know where the car is. But the idea that it could have been left abandoned and picked up is a wonderful idea! Because then who would suspect anything? Probably not much. I never even thought about the possibility that she might have been attacked by a bear. Since she was a skilled camper, she would most likely know how to keep her self safe from harm. Didn't someone post something that read that her bones were even found scattered around? Maybe the animal did that when it was devouring her to pieces ( sorry for sounding so graphic!) But if her blanket was burried, that is really bizzare and why was it burried? Maybe it got covered over some how and it became that way. But I'd imagine this would be hard for nature to do. The slice areas on her clothing could also have been a run into with an animal-like a bear. Or it really could have been created by a knife. If hair was found that did not appear to be human then that is another clue that it could have been an animal or a horse. But a horse? I would have no clue why. Unless she had some contact with a horse prior to her disappearance and murder.

So if her skull was ripped away from the lower jaw...how could a human being do something like that? I would say it would have to be a very powerful human being who knows the human anatomy. Unless some type of weapon was used to do this. Or it could have been an animal who did indeed rip her head off.

But why would someone kill someone and leave their body totally exposed knowing that bones are going to later show up as evidence? If she was murdered maybe the person thought she would be forgotten or never found. Ok well maybe the animals dug her up and she was burried before and that's how there was a shallow grave with her blanket in with her as well.

McSpy, I REALLY hope they end up starting to test for DNA from the stuff they found since we have come so far in that field. Especially since she has been found.
 
McSpy,

I have been wondering the same thing. Maybe she was actually out of money and she had no way of paying to stay anywhere. She did supposedly make some stops along the way and maybe she spent most of her money. Not to bash someone like this? But let's say her husband decided to leave her..if she was depending on her husband financially for some reason, then I guess she wouldn't have money or any place to go except in her car or outside. But then why didn't she turn to family if this could have been an issue. Scared to? Was there any check on her bank statements or how much money she had on those credit cards? Maybe she just really did lose her mind and money didn't play a role in it. Maybe she was just really adventurous.

Maybe the sliced clothes were from an accidental fall. Her clothing caught on sticks and rocks because I thought I read that she had a bad knee or something. Highly doubt it but just a thought.
 
McSpy said:
Good catch! It is very odd, especially when he appeared to be searching for her in other ways. If it was my spouse, I would have been down there in a heart beat.
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I do agree with you and JeannieC. It is very strange. And why he refused to take a lie detector test is beyond me. Maybe he was scared it would show he was a liar when he may not have been.
 
xLiqoricex said:
McSpy,

I have been wondering the same thing. Maybe she was actually out of money and she had no way of paying to stay anywhere. She did supposedly make some stops along the way and maybe she spent most of her money. Not to bash someone like this? But let's say her husband decided to leave her..if she was depending on her husband financially for some reason, then I guess she wouldn't have money or any place to go except in her car or outside. But then why didn't she turn to family if this could have been an issue. Scared to? Was there any check on her bank statements or how much money she had on those credit cards? Maybe she just really did lose her mind and money didn't play a role in it. Maybe she was just really adventurous.

Maybe the sliced clothes were from an accidental fall. Her clothing caught on sticks and rocks because I thought I read that she had a bad knee or
something. Highly doubt it but just a thought.
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I'm thinking she was more interested in leaving him. She was a nurse and I think she had money and credit cards. There was at least $160. found in her clothes at the crime scene. These are the reasons I wonder why she didn't just get a hotel room--even if it was a rock bottom cheapo place. Sleeping in the car seems like something I would have done when I was 19 years old--not 50. I'm thinking that it may not have been her, who asked about sleeping in the car at that lot. I can't see why she didn't try to find somewhere more comfortable to stay. I don't think she was flat broke. Maybe this is why her husband said that she was practical. Perhaps, She didn't like wasting money on a hotel room when should could sleep in a car.
 
xLiqoricex said:
Oh man- I forgot to consider that it was 1997 so people back then did not have some of the technology we have today! Thanks for pointing that out, LOL. I'm an air head sometimes-ugh.

For some reason, my mind wants to keep that someone is driving the rented car around still. I have no clue why! But this can't be possible if someone turned in the car or if someone called in it or did whatever to get it back. Then again, we don't know where the car is. But the idea that it could have been left abandoned and picked up is a wonderful idea! Because then who would suspect anything? Probably not much. I never even thought about the possibility that she might have been attacked by a bear. Since she was a skilled camper, she would most likely know how to keep her self safe from harm. Didn't someone post something that read that her bones were even found scattered around? Maybe the animal did that when it was devouring her to pieces ( sorry for sounding so graphic!) But if her blanket was burried, that
is really bizzare and why was it burried? Maybe it got covered over some how and it became that way. But I'd imagine this would be hard for nature to do. The slice areas on her clothing could also have been a run into with an animal-like a bear. Or it really could have been created by a knife. If hair was found that did not appear to be human then that is another clue that it could have
been an animal or a horse. But a horse? I would have no clue why. Unless she had some contact with a horse prior to her disappearance and murder.

So if her skull was ripped away from the lower jaw...how could a human being do something like that? I would say it would have to be a very powerful
human being who knows the human anatomy. Unless some type of weapon was used to do this. Or it could have been an animal who did indeed rip her head off.

But why would someone kill someone and leave their body totally exposed
knowing that bones are going to later show up as evidence? If she was murdered maybe the person thought she would be forgotten or never found. Ok well maybe the animals dug her up and she was burried before and that's how there was a shallow grave with her blanket in with her as well.

McSpy, I REALLY hope they end up starting to test for DNA from the stuff they found since we have come so far in that field. Especially since she has been
found.
Click to expand...

I think animals dug her up from a shallow grave and in the process her bones became scattered around. It is interesting that her shirt was buried with over 80 bucks in the pocket. It sounds like it was buried separately from her body. Could she have been sexually assaulted? One thing I have found odd-- most women don't put money in their shirts--that's a guy thing. I wonder if she was found with long underwear tops on as well as bottoms and if the shirt had cut marks or the long underwear top had cut marks. Also, why would she bring a blanket up there. Was it for a picnic? Perhaps that is where was going to eat
the $30. worth of sandwiches with someone else. They didn't say if the backpack was buried or if it was just sitting there in the so called "campsite."

Sorry, I'm rambling here, I'm just trying to warp my head around this case.
 
McSpy said:
Apparently the Biltmore House has animals: http://www.biltmore.com/visit/antler_hill_village/farm/default.asp

Could Judy have been there petting the animals, since animal hairs were found on her clothes?

Although, maybe this animal barn was not in existence in 1997.
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The Biltmore Estate has everything including a castle. It has gardens, stables, hiking trails, riding trails. A hotel and unless I am mistaken there are cabins to rent. It was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II. Thousands of acres of land went with it. The land is now the Pisgah National Forest. I believe he set the land aside to preserve the forrest even though trees were harvested from the forrest. I don't know if they still are or not.
It was built in the 1800's stables and all.

Here is a link to show you loads of pictures of the Biltmore House. The UK doesn't have anything on NC!


http://www.google.com/search?q=bilt...p3cIpCTtwf1oLl5&ved=0CGEQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=495


Just thought I'd throw in a little ad for the state. This economy could really use a boost AND you could go visit the Buncombe County Detectives. Their office is in the basement of the Biltmore House or at least it was when Judith Smith was murdered.
 
I don't buy the story that she bought flowers for her husband and gave them to him in Philly as an apology for missing the first flight. I wonder if LE found the flowers in the hotel room. They should have been there, because she had only gave him those flowers the night before.
 
McSpy said:
I don't buy the story that she bought flowers for her husband and gave them to him in Philly as an apology for missing the first flight. I wonder if LE found the flowers in the hotel room. They should have been there, because she had only gave him those flowers the night before.
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I don't remember them being mentioned as to whether there were flowers in the room or not.
 
I wonder if Judy had a close friend or family member, who may have a clue as to what may have happened. Could she have been complaining about something prior to her trip to Philly? Was her husband complaining about anything? These are just a few questions I would ask the people they had associated with.
 
Here is another thought: Most abductions happen to young people. Judy was 50 years old and heavy set. Of course, there are always exceptions, but I don't even have to look at statistics to figure that she doesn't fit the norm. Although, she could have met someone on the plane, struck up a conversation, and was lured to NC. I suppose anything is possible.
 
McSpy said:
I wonder if Judy had a close friend or family member, who may have a clue as to what may have happened. Could she have been complaining about something prior to her trip to Philly? Was her husband complaining about anything? These are just a few questions I would ask the people they had associated with.
Click to expand...

I think that would be a good lead. She was a private duty nurse and that was how she met her husband. I wonder if she had been working close to the time she disappeared and if so who was she working for and where? I'm sure LE checked into this though.
 
Judith's children's names are Craig and Amy but does anyone know what their last name is? It could be Bradford or Eldridge...I think. From what I read they questioned her first husband so I'm guessing he was the father of the children. Or, they could have 2 different fathers. Who knows, certainly not me! lol

Does anyone know if Judy have brothers or sisters?
 
I wish we could find out about her European trip and the trip to Thailand. Someone might have stayed friends with her after the trips. She went alone but that doesn't mean she was alone the entire trip. She might have met up with a group and traveled with a group or a guide.
 
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