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

[Gardenchef]

This is just me, but Id have asked the students to contact someone in authority at the school, or probably called them myself, if Id had that app and this was so out of chsracter, and, outside of very strict school rules. Those students could have walked into anything. I'd think Dad had called B as well, and he had not answered, would also be highly concerning, considering what we know about the family and school rules.

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This has bothered me from the get go. Once his dad realized BS was not back on campus, and knowing the strict rules against overnight stays (I'm sure his dad was aware of it), why didn't his dad contact the school. Where were all the people that were allegedly responsible for enforcing the rules? Especially because Blake was such a good guy as everyone has said. So if he didn't show up by curfew, wouldn't they be concerned? Something doesn't add up.

 

[JazzTune]

Want to know something freaky? My daughter just broke up with her boyfriend She could not figure out how he knew she went into work today, as usually, it's her day off. If you can believe this- Snapchat has a damn GPS- it is really eerie! I was telling her and her best friend to check all their apps to see if there were any trackers on it- and when my daughter checked SnapChat- she saw her and her best friend in the living room of my house (it wasn't my living room per see, but it had the shape of my house and the location of where they were in my living room- you could see them move around! It also had our backyard and the lake behind it. I don't know how to explain it, it was like a little cartoon type of thing? It was FREAKY seeing two figures moving around in my living room on this map.

Please, folks, check your kids Twitters, Facebook, SnapChat and other social media sites as well as your own. They have different looking location finders on each, but they are there without your knowledge! My daughter and her friend had to "ghost" themselves on several sites, and those that they couldn't do that, they deleted their accounts.

Somehow the jerk is still trying to sync his phone with MINE. I don't know how he's doing it, but it looks like we have to watch our daughter and her friend closely now that he's stalking her. Twice in one week now.

Check your kids phones, tablets, and PC's PLEASE. If you don't believe me, check out the SnapChat yourself- it will freak the heck out of you. Oh, and my daughter and her friend noticed that several people were following them that weren't on their list before- scary.

I forgot to add on the SnapChat- they tested it out when they went to the store- it tracked them all the way to the store and back, and everyone on your friend's list can track you down. They clicked on a couple of their friends and couldn't believe their eyes. They've got everything private now.

Thank you for this alert! Current technology can be so confusing. I am especially grateful to you for taking the time to explain all the details in such depth.

You'll never know how many people you've helped with this post.

I'm sending this to my daughter too.

A really big thank you again...

 

[rsd1200]

This has bothered me from the get go. Once his dad realized BS was not back on campus, and knowing the strict rules against overnight stays (I'm sure his dad was aware of it), why didn't his dad contact the school. Where were all the people that were allegedly responsible for enforcing the rules? Especially because Blake was such a good guy as everyone has said. So if he didn't show up by curfew, wouldn't they be concerned? Something doesn't add up.

All of this disturbs me too. It could be possible that he thought if he rsised the alarm, too early, it could be a situation, that may get B expelled. Just thinking .

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[inmyhumbleopinion]

All of this disturbs me too. It could be possible that he thought if he rsised the alarm, too early, it could be a situation, that may get B expelled. Just thinking .

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And if that was the case, as a fellow parent, I cannot blame him. I probably would have done the same. I hope he isn’t blaming himself for not contacting the authorities sooner.

 

[rsd1200]

And if that was the case, as a fellow parent, I cannot blame him. I probably would have done the same. I hope he isn’t blaming himself for not contacting the authorities sooner.

I hear ya. It's definitely a tightrope that we parents have to walk. Many times we parents are damned either way, in the media, by non-parents, and worst of all, by other parents, when a tragedy like this happens to a child of any age. Most times we're just doing the best we know to do. I know none of mine came with their own personal operator's manual.

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[KeepTheLightOn]

Yes there was per the minister at the college chapel. There were bruises on his face & hands.

https://www.facebook.com/thecrowncol...0496256715258/

(I know this was already posted already but I wanted to be sure you saw it.)

This Facebook link is no longer available.

 

[flute4peace]

I hear ya. It's definitely a tightrope that we parents have to walk. Many times we parents are damned either way, in the media, by non-parents, and worst of all, by other parents, when a tragedy like this happens to a child of any age. Most times we're just doing the best we know to do. I know none of mine came with their own personal operator's manual.

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I agree, and I'd even take it a step further and say he's damned either way even in his own heart/thinking. The what-ifs have to be devastating.

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[Playitcool]

I believe even if Blake's father would have found Blakes car the night he didn't return to his dorm,
That it still would have taken a couple days to find Blake Imo

 

[j_in_c]

I haven't used the Life360 app, but when something seems wrong on a phone, my first thought is usually that there is a technology fail and not necessarily that the person isn't where they should be. This discussion is reminding me of the early days of cell phones when calls would just "drop" and my mother when I finally could reconnect would always say "oh my gosh, I thought you might have crashed" and I would remind her that it is 1000x more likely that I went into a dead zone (this was in the late 1990s). I will definitely would extend the parents the benefit of the doubt and assume that even if things seemed wrong that night, it is perfectly reasonable to wait until morning before raising the alarm.

 

[rsd1200]

I believe even if Blake's father would have found Blakes car the night he didn't return to his dorm,
That it still would have taken a couple days to find Blake Imo

I'm very curious as to where B was, between stopping at AFP, and the time that his his vehicle showed up at the home. I do agree, though, even with the tracking software, had Dad called the dorm, or LE, that by the time they got out there, it would have been too late. I've a feeling something was set into motion well ahead of Dad checking on B at 10:30 that night.

 

[rsd1200]

I haven't used the Life360 app, but when something seems wrong on a phone, my first thought is usually that there is a technology fail and not necessarily that the person isn't where they should be. This discussion is reminding me of the early days of cell phones when calls would just "drop" and my mother when I finally could reconnect would always say "oh my gosh, I thought you might have crashed" and I would remind her that it is 1000x more likely that I went into a dead zone (this was in the late 1990s). I will definitely would extend the parents the benefit of the doubt and assume that even if things seemed wrong that night, it is perfectly reasonable to wait until morning before raising the alarm.

Those dead zones are still alive and well where I live. I live in Appalachia, and can drive five miles down the road and "no signal". I was on a road trip this weekend through the region, and my co-pilot was attempting to search out a restaurant. Their phone just kept saying "Lost signal" . It would come back for a couple miles, then drop again. It wouldn't surprise me if Bs Dad had experienced B's phone losing signal. If that were the case,he may have been used to it showing the last stop that the phone had signal, until it regained signal, and could transmit the new location. He might have thought that was what was going on at first. I'm sure I mad that as clear as mud...

 

[DAnthrplgst]

Those dead zones are still alive and well where I live. I live in Appalachia, and can drive five miles down the road and "no signal". I was on a road trip this weekend through the region, and my co-pilot was attempting to search out a restaurant. Their phone just kept saying "Lost signal" . It would come back for a couple miles, then drop again. It wouldn't surprise me if Bs Dad had experienced B's phone losing signal. If that were the case,he may have been used to it showing the last stop that the phone had signal, until it regained signal, and could transmit the new location. He might have thought that was what was going on at first. I'm sure I mad that as clear as mud...

Your story reminds me of the many times I traveled through Texas. I would always try to take back roads instead of the highways and there were many times where I'd be driving and could go 10-20 miles with no cell signal, it was especially bad on this one stretch of state highway between Abilene and Houston, once I got out of Brownwood (small town on the hwy) I'd be in a dead zone for about 20 miles or so before reaching another cell tower.

 

[OFCRickGrimes]

Admiral Park is not in Maryville, it is in Farragut in West Knoxville. I am from Knoxville and graduated high school from Farragut.

 

[LadyO]

Yet, in the post on Feb. 7 where they started back-peddling on the COD/MOD, they finally provide information on how to contact them with tips:
"If anyone has any information about Blake Smith and his whereabouts between Saturday afternoon at around 2 p.m. and early Monday afternoon, please call the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit during normal business hours at (865) 273-5001. You may also call the 24 hour anonymous Crime Hotline at (865)273-5200, or leave a tip on the Text-a-Tip link at www.bcso.com."
https://www.facebook.com/5853009148...914895354/1620618854696883/?type=3&permPage=1

Snipped by me for focus.....

Question for experienced folks:
I was wondering if this is standard phrasing when someone is reported missing and not found for a couple days. I mean, I'm assuming Monday afternoon was when BS was found right? Is that the "normal" way of asking for info, by giving the time between disappearance and when the person was found?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Snipped by me for focus.....

Question for experienced folks:
I was wondering if this is standard phrasing when someone is reported missing and not found for a couple days. I mean, I'm assuming Monday afternoon was when BS was found right? Is that the "normal" way of asking for info, by giving the time between disappearance and when the person was found?

Yes, I have seen queries like this for help from the public with specific times. It is not nefarious IMO. On the contrary, it would lead me to think they do have some information if they can narrow down a time window.

 

[Kittybunny]

This case certainly took a turn into way left field. I have no idea what to think! Did LE jump to a conclusion too soon, or is this a truly bizarre accident and/or suicide attempt? To me, there are just so many weird anomalies that don't add up - like where was he the night before that his dad said was a strange location? What's up with the other lake picture? And those are just for starters. Will we get more info, or are they going to just let this go by the wayside? I think the family will keep it active but I don't know. I lean towards homicide though.

 

[Hazelnutty]

I'm riding the fence in -between prank devolved into accidental death & deliberate murder. Other players, regardless

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[rsd1200]

I 'm kinda riding the fence between someone roughing him up, and it went way too far, or just a very freak accident.

 

[yurena]

I am leaning towards homicide but I would not be able to explain why, just a hunch.

I am also deeply suspicious of the way things were reported by these two friends of his who spotted the car first.

 

[rsd1200]

I am leaning towards homicide but I would not be able to explain why, just a hunch.

I am also deeply suspicious of the way things were reported by these two friends of his who spotted the car first.

I'm not sure if the one, was one of the ones who went to the car, but, and loosely quoting here, I found the comment, by one friend, that, "B had his struggles, but I'd not see him committing suicide", as an odd comment. It may just be me, but when that statement is made around here, it leads me to believe that the deceased had significant struggles, but the friend was still blindsided by <insert name's> suicide. Most folks just don't see suicide coming, and the friend may have thought B comitted suicide at that point, but it's the first part of the sentence that makes me think that Bs struggles were significant. Significant enough that they may have, somehow, led to his death. I hope that I'm making some sort of sense. :sigh: