Eric M. Smith is an American convicted felon and a former inmate. He was booked for the murder of a four-year-old Derrick Robie back in 1993.
Smith was convicted of second-degree murder in 1994 and has been serving his prison sentence till today. As of today, he has been granted parole after 27 years of incarceration.
“The man who murdered a 4-year-old boy at the age of 13, has been granted release at 41.”
Corrections officials said on Saturday that Eric M. Smith, who was 13 when he killed a 4-year-old boy with a rock in western New York, had been granted parole.
Smith, aged 41, appeared before the Board of Parole for the 11th time on October 5 and was allowed parole as early as Nov. 17, according to an emailed statement from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The transcripts of the hearing were not made public right away.
In 1994, Smith was found guilty of second-degree murder after luring Derrick Robie into the woods near his home and hitting him with a rock. In August 1993, Derrick was traveling alone to summer camp in a park in the Steuben County hamlet of Savona.
The case received widespread attention due to the victim’s and suspect’s young ages, as well as a widely circulated photo of the teenage Smith in court, dressed in a Bugs Bunny hoodie and with a mop of red hair.
Smith’s lawyer failed to convince the jury that he was mentally ill. Smith was given a sentence ranging from nine to live in prison.
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Derrick’s parents, Dale and Doreen Robie opposed Smith’s release each time it was previously considered and have lobbied for parole reforms that include extending the time between hearings for violent offenders from the current two years to five.
Dale Robie told local media the family did not want to comment on the latest decision. Smith is housed at the medium-security Woodbourne Correctional Facility in the Catskills.
Eric M. Smith Age, Date of Birth, Birthday, Family, what about his father, mother, where is he from? Early Life.
Eric M. Smith was born to his parents; Tammy and Ted back on January 22, 1980, in Steuben County, New York. Smith is reported to have been more close to his maternal grandparents; Red and Edie Edison.
They have told the media that a 13-year-old Smith was a very fun-loving kid and often made them laugh. However, Smith was bullied by his schoolmates for his ears, thick glasses, red hair, and freckles that made him a loner. It must have been his childhood abuse that prompted a teenager to kill a kid.
Eric M. Smith Net worth, how much did he earn?
There is no information about his net worth but we will update soon.
Eric M. Smith Wife, His Relationship, What about Children?
Eric M. Smith is not married hence, he does not have a wife yet. Being in prison all these years, Smith lost his chance in life in terms of finding love and getting married.
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However, things may turn out good for him if he has accepted his crime and looking for a new start in life.
Eric M. Smith Career
Murder
On August 2, 1993, when Smith was thirteen years old, he was riding his bike home from summer camp in a local park day camp after being told to leave due to “bad behavior” and 4-year-old Derrick Robie was walking alone to that same camp. Smith saw Robie and lured him into a nearby wooded area. There, Smith strangled him and dropped a large rock on the boy’s head.
The cause of death was determined to be blunt trauma to the head with contributing asphyxia. At around 11:00 a.m., Robie’s mother, Doreen, went to the park to pick up her son, only to find that Robie did not arrive. After four hours of investigation, Robie’s body was found. The murder case made national headlines, largely due to the age of the killer (13) and of the victim (4).
On August 8, 1993, Smith confessed to his mother that he killed Derrick. The Smith family informed law enforcement later that night. In his 2014 parole hearing, Smith said that he was bullied by older children at school, and also by his father and two older sisters. He confessed that he took his rage out on Robie, so he killed him. Smith said that he sodomized Robie with a stick in order to ensure his death.
Conviction and incarceration
On August 16, 1994, Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to the maximum term then available for juvenile murderers: a minimum of nine years to life in prison. While in jail, Smith wrote an apology letter to Robie’s family; he read it on public television: “I know my actions have caused a terrible loss in the Robie family, and for that, I am truly sorry.
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I’ve tried to think as much as possible about what Derrick will never experience: his 16th birthday, Christmas, anytime, owning his own house, graduating, going to college, getting married, his first child. If I could go back in time, I would switch places with Derrick and endure all the pain I’ve caused him. If it meant that he would go on living, I’d switch places, but I can’t.” At the end of this statement, Smith states that he cannot bear the thought of “walls, razor wire, and steel metal bars” for the rest of his life. He has also apologized to Derrick Robie in interviews.
Smith was held in a juvenile facility for three years and was then transferred to an open prison for young adults. In 2001, he was transferred to the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, a maximum-security prison.
As of May 3, 2016, the NYS Department of Corrections website shows
As of May 3, 2016, the NYS Department of Corrections website shows him incarcerated at Collins Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison for male inmates in Erie County, New York. On April 26, 2019, he was listed as incarcerated at Gowanda Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison that is co-located with Collins Correctional Facility.
On November 30, 2019, he was listed as incarcerated at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County. Smith has been denied parole ten times since 2002, most recently in January 2020.
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After the failed 2012 hearing, the parole board cited a concern for public safety in its decision, and Robie’s parents opposed his release. At that hearing, he told a parole board he would not return to Savona if released and would go to a shelter or halfway house instead. In October 2021, Smith was granted parole after 27 years of incarceration.
Where he attended his High school and University? What was his major?
Fiston’s schooling must have been completed in his hometown. His educational background, however, is unknown.
Eric M. Smith Social Media Reach
We looked for him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms but were unable to locate him.
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He must have a social media account under a different name, or he may not have any. Maybe he likes a private life.
Eric M. Smith’s Body Appearance Height, Weight
Height | In Feet: 5 Feet 3 Inches Centimeter: 161 cm Meter: 1.61 m |
Weight | N / A |
Hair | Red |
Eye Color | N / A |
Body Type | Fit |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Interesting facts about Eric M. Smith’s which you should know
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | N / A |
Zodiac Sign | N / A |
Birthdate | 1980 |
Parents name | Tammy and Ted back |
Age (as in 2021) | 41 years |
Social media
Not Available