NC NC - Neely Smith, 5, Charlotte, 18 Feb 1981

[TallCoolOne]

Has there been any news regarding progress on Neely's case?

Keeping the faith,

~TCO~

 

[Richard]

The case is still considered open and "unsolved". However, Fred Howard Coffey, Jr. is the most likely and only suspect to my knowledge.

Coffey is serving a life sentence in North Carolina for murdering Amanda Ray, age 10. In his first trial he was sentenced to death, but in a resentencing (different jury), during which mention of other numerous convictions of crimes against children were not heard, he was sentenced to life, with the possibility of parole.

 

[Richard]

Fred Howard Coffey, Jr. was transferred on 27 June 2023 from Pender Prison to Greene Correctional Institution.

Greene Correctional Institution is a designated reentry facility, where a variety of programs and services are offered to assist offenders nearing their release dates to transition back to their communities.

Coffey has come up for parole numerous times and has always been turned down by the Parole Board. Hopefully this move is not in anticipation of Coffey being released into society.

 

[TallCoolOne]

I sincerely hope that man only leaves the confines of prison in a pine box.

 

[Richard]

Little Neely Smith, age 5 years old, was brutally murdered over 45 years ago.

The strongest suspect in the case is Fred Howard Coffey, Jr. Who is housed at taxpayer expense in the North Carolina prison system for the murder of 10 year old Amanda Ray.

Coffey has come up for parole numerous times since his death sentence was commuted to "life".

 

[dotr]

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Apr 7, 2025
Neely Shane Smith disappeared from outside her home on Feb. 18, 1981. Her remains were found on April 11, 1981, 15 miles from her home. Despite the continued work of Cold Case detectives throughout the years, a suspect in this case has never been positively identified.In 2022 CMPD’s Cold Case Unit obtained grant funding and submitted evidence in the Neely Smith case for further testing, but no conclusive evidence was obtained.Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to relay information. The public can also leave information anonymously with Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.For additional information about this case, reference complaint number: 19810411-1400-00.

 

[dotr]

By Erika Jackson, April 25, 2025 rbbm.

‘Science will catch up’: 1981 cold case still haunts retired CMPD detective

Neely Shane Smith was outside her apartment complex in east Charlotte, when witnesses reported seeing a gray-haired man pick her up and force her into his van.

www.wsoctv.com

''The little evidence available was eerily similar to another young girl’s murder. Ten-year-old Amanda Ray went missing in 1979, two years before Neely was reported missing.'

“They lived in relatively close proximity to one another. There’s no knowledge of them knowing each other,” Price said.''

''Fred Coffey was convicted of Amanda’s murder in 1987. Police said they didn’t have enough evidence to connect Coffey to Neely’s murder, but they’re not ruling him out as a suspect.''

''About 18 months ago, detectives used grant money to reprocess all evidence that could carry the killer’s DNA.
“We submitted everything we had and we came back with nothing of value at this time. And our hopes are that science will catch up to this evidence and maybe one day give us a suspect,” Price said.''
2015

Child killer's DNA could help solve 1981 cold case

Five-year-old Neely Smith disappeared in February 1981 after she was last seen playing outside her apartment complex on Green Oaks Lane in Charlotte. Two months later, the young girl's remains were found on the 6700 block of Union Road, about 15 miles away from her home.

www.wbtv.com

70-year-old Fred Howard Coffey Jr (Source: Pender Correctional Facility)