Found Deceased TN - Blake Smith, 20, Knoxville, 3 Feb 2018

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“Smith's father, Jim Smith, confirmed Tuesday that it was his son. Smith would not say if the family had been told the cause of death and referred further questions to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.

BCSO spokeswoman Marian O'Briant did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The sheriff's office has not said whether the case is being looked at as a suicide or a homicide. Smith's family said Monday that they suspect foul play, citing the strange circumstances where his car was found.”

More at link: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news...-college-student-confirm-his-death/312100002/
 
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If it weren't for the cinder block, and damaging the car, and running it into someone else's property, and such, I could get behind that more. If he just wanted to die, he could've just drove it into the lake and it would have looked like a terrible accident. We've had a couple folks who weren't familiar with a local road, to not take note of the sign, NO BRIDGE, and end up in the river, drowned, in their cars, one dude split the river wide open on a motorcycle, and drowned.
 
rsd1200 said:
If it weren't for the cinder block, and damaging the car, and running it into someone else's property, and such, I could get behind that more. If he just wanted to die, he could've just drove it into the lake and it would have looked like a terrible accident. We've had a couple folks who weren't familiar with a local road, to not take note of the sign, NO BRIDGE, and end up in the river, drowned, in their cars, one dude split the river wide open on a motorcycle, and drowned.
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I agree. Seems like a completely inept way of committing suicide and trying to make it look it wasn't. So much easier to just text or post that you've been experiencing dizziness or something like that, and then drive into water and hope people think you passed out or had a dizzy spell.

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inmyhumbleopinion said:
&#8220;Smith's father, Jim Smith, confirmed Tuesday that it was his son. Smith would not say if the family had been told the cause of death and referred further questions to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.

BCSO spokeswoman Marian O'Briant did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
The sheriff's office has not said whether the case is being looked at as a suicide or a homicide. Smith's family said Monday that they suspect foul play, citing the strange circumstances where his car was found.&#8221;

More at link: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news...-college-student-confirm-his-death/312100002/
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In most cases, if the family refers to LE for answers, foul play is suspected and the family is pretty much told by LE what to say or not to say to media, so that they don't tip off any potential suspects that they're on to them. JMO, but have seen this with many cases along with a friend's family being told to do this in the past.
 
Knox County Regional Forensic Center performed an autopsy and identified the body as Smith.

The Blount County, Tennessee Sheriff&#8217;s Office posted on social media that the death appeared to be accidental.

&#8220;The preliminary cause of death was determined as hypothermia/drowning, and his death appears to be accidental,&#8221; was posted on the sheriff&#8217;s Facebook page.
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http://www.trussvilletribune.com/20...russville-autopsy-indicates-accidental-death/

:thinking:
 
Hmmm....accidental: hypothermia, drowning

http://www.wate.com/news/local-news...identified-death-appears-accidental/955104268
LOUISVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) - The Blount County Sheriff's Office says a body found in a creek on Monday has been identified as missing Crown College student Blake Smith and his death appears accidental.

The sheriff said in a news release Tuesday an autopsy was performed at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, where a preliminary cause of death was determined to be hypothermia/drowning.

The sheriff said Monday the body was found in Georges Creek near a construction site in Louisville using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The area about half a mile from where Smith's car was found.
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I can't buy accidental drowning given the circumstances of a cinder block being on the gas pedal of his crashed car and him missing a shoe and chain.

If the cinder block wasn't there, ok, he may have wandered to the lake after sustaining a head injury.

But the cinder block...

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Well...somehow an &#8220;accidental&#8221; death was never in my pondering.

Are they thinking that a head-injury from the car shenanigans caused him to walk into the water?

How does one reach the conclusion of &#8220;accidental&#8221; without knowledge of intent/lack of intent?!? He had a charged phone within cell tower range...so strange for this to be an accident.

ETA: I think the sheriff must have ruled out any 3rd party involvement and then his two choices were suicide or accident ...and I bet there has been considerable pressure from parents/community/college/church to label it as the more conservatively palatable of the two.
 
vmmking said:
I can't buy accidental drowning given the circumstances of a cinder block being on the gas pedal of his crashed car and him missing a shoe and chain.

If the cinder block wasn't there, ok, he may have wandered to the lake after sustaining a head injury.

But the cinder block...

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Exactly. Something isn't right.
 
The mirrors off, the door bent back, the car still running, and a cinder block on the pedal. That's just freaky. If I were the parent I'd want a much more detailed explanation than that! I'd want more digging.
 
Accidental?? If that’s the case, I think we’ll be waiting for toxicology results.


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Accidental is surprising! A ruling of drowning means he had water in the lungs, so he was alive when he entered the water.

Maybe the car was stolen after Blake fell into the water. Thief saw a seemingly abandoned car and took it, then later did the whole schabeng with the cinder block and all. That would still leave questions though, like why were Blake's shoe and beanie etc found near the car.

Very confusing :thinking:
 
Yes, I think toxicology results might help explain things a bit more...still hard to thrash out an &#8220;accidental&#8221; narrative.

Kid goes to park and drinks then drives. Kid crashes car in a single-car accident. Kid is drunk but v v worried about the ramifications of accident. Kid tries to run the car into the lake so he can report it stolen, but being drunk, the whole thing goes pear-shaped and now there is a wrecked house as well as a wrecked car...kid walks down to water to have a think about his situation...perhaps hoping the cold water will sober him up, wades out a bit?!?
It&#8217;s the best I can come up with at the moment....
 
eucalyptuz said:
Well...somehow an “accidental” death was never in my pondering.

Are they thinking that a head-injury from the car shenanigans caused him to walk into the water?

How does one reach the conclusion of “accidental” without knowledge of intent/lack of intent?!? He had a charged phone within cell tower range...so strange for this to be an accident.

ETA: I think the sheriff must have ruled out any 3rd party involvement and then his two choices were suicide or accident ...and I bet there has been considerable pressure from parents/community/college/church to label it as the more conservatively palatable of the two.
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I agree 110%


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Smith's family has said two of his friends initially found his car still running, with a cinder block on the gas pedal, damage to the doors and mirrors and belongings strewn about. His cell phone and wallet were still in the car. The Blount County Sheriff's Office said the car was wrecked but has not confirmed all of those details.
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2018/02/06/parents-missing-crown-college-student-confirm-his-death/312100002/

If the statement car was running when found on Sunday is true- how long would a car run if it had a full tank of gas before running out of gas? The cinderblock info and car running are coming from friends of Blakes not from LE - could his friends be covering for something trying to protect Blake's image.
 
Elainera said:
Accidental is surprising! A ruling of drowning means he had water in the lungs, so he was alive when he entered the water.

Maybe the car was stolen after Blake fell into the water. Thief saw a seemingly abandoned car and took it, then later did the whole schabeng with the cinder block and all. That would still leave questions though, like why were Blake's shoe and beanie etc found near the car.

Very confusing :thinking:
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IMO the scene appears staged by someone who thought it would look like a carjacking gone wrong...someone young and naive and desperate


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The family "official" Facebook page has posted that there is false information going around, and that it was NOT accidental and foul play is involved.
 
ilvrk said:
The family "official" Facebook page has posted that there is false information going around, and that it was NOT accidental and foul play is involved.
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What is the link to the official facebook page - I see various family members posting on their own pages - but haven't been able to find an official facebook page with regards to Blake. Thanks.
 
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