VA - Betsy Smith, 22, raped & murdered, Spotsylvania, 3 Sept 2007

sherri79

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SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. — A teenager was charged on Tuesday with killing and raping his sister and beating his niece with a sledgehammer in a crime the sheriff called one of the most brutal he's ever seen.[/SIZE]
Walter Smith Jr., 16, was charged with the first-degree murder and rape of his 22-year-old sister, Betsy Mary Smith, and aggravated assault against his two year-old niece, Andrea Costello.[/SIZE]
Smith was charged after he recounted Monday morning's events to Spotsylvania detectives, said Sheriff Howard Smith. Based on Walter Smith's accounts, police said Betsy Smith was beaten with a sledgehammer and stabbed before being raped. When Costello began crying, she was struck in the head with a sledgehammer. Betsy Smith, Costello and a 1-year-old boy were then locked inside the room.[/SIZE]
"This is probably one of the more brutal cases that I've been involved in here," said Sheriff Smith, who has been with the sheriff's office for 22 years.[/SIZE]
[/SIZE]
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295789,00.html
 
That's HORRIBLE. Am I reading right? The rest of the family was in the house?!
 
Oh man, this snapped big time. I hope he is tried as an adult and gets the d/p. Nothing out yet about what led up to this horrible attack?
 
This all happened at 1 a.m Monday morning...the victim's mom heard the babies crying at 3-4 pm that afternoon and sent the 16 yr old to check on them????

This family sounds all screwed up.
 
I agree Taximom!

Some blanks are simply not filled in here.
 
The 16 year old was on medication for depression.

I caught that too lesleegp... but the shear brutality of this crime outweighs that mitigating factor IMO.


I am just missing something here I think.
 
I caught that too lesleegp... but the shear brutality of this crime outweighs that mitigating factor IMO.


I am just missing something here I think.

I agree 100%, just wanted to show he apparently had some issues already anyway. This wasn't just out of the blue.
 
Wow, I hope they take the babies away from this screwed up family. They sound like their from the backwoods, did you hear how the mother talks in the "". He don't know what he did, crazy. I wonder if they were covering it up, thats why the story of what happened to the 2 year old.
 
I felt the same way after watching the video, imthemom. It does sound like a coverup...especially having the body locked in a room when the police arrived.
 
I felt the same way after watching the video, imthemom. It does sound like a coverup...especially having the body locked in a room when the police arrived.

Another thing, maybe he didn't do it at all but they convinced him to say he did because he is a minor and would get off easier. That may be why the mother is saying he doesn't remember. Just a thought.
 
He must have seriously lost his mind to do something so horrible. I cant believe a mother would defend this though. So sad and scary and sick.
 
Well it seems like he confessed, but what if it were an older male in the family - like the father? Just tossing out ideas.

I still can't believe those two little kids were in there alone with the dead body for so long. Nobody was concerned that they (including Betsy) didn't come out of the room (that was padlocked, hmm ) to eat or go to the bathroom?

This is a very strange case.
 
Wow, I hope they take the babies away from this screwed up family. They sound like their from the backwoods, did you hear how the mother talks in the "". He don't know what he did, crazy. I wonder if they were covering it up, thats why the story of what happened to the 2 year old.
He may be all messed up but what 16 year old doesn't know they are raping someone; especially his own sister..I'm ooged out about that. Then to hit a baby with a sledgehammer; wouldn't he have to go to the garage or something to get a sledgehammer? It wouldn't be just sitting there in the house I wouldn't think-sounds premeditated to me.
 
I guess DNA from the rape will tell the story here.
 
I am at a loss for words. This is just sick.
 
That Mom just got hit with the worst situation that a parent could face. Including losing your child that you love.
She lost a child that she loved- and it was another child she loved that is accused of the crime.
Let's face it, your first instinct is to protect your child. In this case, she can no longer protect either her daughter. And she cannot really protect her son. All she can do is to try to mitigate things for her son. Plus it sounds as though she really believes that her son is sick. And who can blame her. Her son just raped and killed his sister and hit his neice with a sledgehammer. :sick: :banghead: I think he is pretty sick, and I am not being sympathetic to him.
Does the Mom and Dad work? That could be why the mother didn't notice that no one came out of the room. :confused:
 
Incredibly disturbing no matter what are or could be mitigating circumstances. This is one sick family...sorry...that is the line I have to draw when something so horrendous takes place. So much fault all the way around it is mindblowing.
 

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