Found Deceased PA - Dana Kristine Smithers, 45, Stroudsburg, 28 May 2022 *found in 2023

[kccorona]

MOO She got home and an intruder was in her house. She had phone walking from friends house, her phone was found in her home after disappearance.

Good thought- I’d be really curious as to the placement of her phone at the house - was it on a table (if she just set it down before walking out the door again) vs. thrown down on the ground (as it may be if she was startled)?
She did live with her mother and young daughter, who I believe have been reported to have been in the house that night. IIRC, she dropped her daughter off at home after the festival, before going to her friends’ house to hang out.
An intruder in the home would’ve had to be hiding, and no or very little noise would’ve been made when possible intruder surprised her, as I don’t think Dana’s mother ever reported anything suspicious from the home that night. Not to say it’s not possible but just more to think about.

 

[swanniee11]

Good thought- I’d be really curious as to the placement of her phone at the house - was it on a table (if she just set it down before walking out the door again) vs. thrown down on the ground (as it may be if she was startled)?
She did live with her mother and young daughter, who I believe have been reported to have been in the house that night. IIRC, she dropped her daughter off at home after the festival, before going to her friends’ house to hang out.
An intruder in the home would’ve had to be hiding, and no or very little noise would’ve been made when possible intruder surprised her, as I don’t think Dana’s mother ever reported anything suspicious from the home that night. Not to say it’s not possible but just more to think about.

I want to point out also that the child's father was at the festival as well (reported in previous MSM). I don't recall if he went back to the house. Never mind, found it.

Family of missing 45-year-old Dana Smithers searching for answers

A family in the Poconos is searching for answers after their loved one suddenly went missing last month.

fox56.com

Snipped:
“She has three children. She has a young daughter. She's six. She has a 26-year-old son and a 23 year-old-daughter," said Furino. She added that Smithers was never been separated long from her family. She was last heard from on the night of May 28th after returning home from Happy Hour festival in Stroudsburg with her daughter and her daughter’s father," said Furino

 

[vls12345]

I was reading about the Kohberger parents being subpoenaed in the other thread, then came to this one. I had been following this case and I didn't realize until now that Dana Smithers was the victim referenced.

So, she went missing about a year ago, presumably murdered around that same time, but was just found a few weeks ago, correct?

I really do wonder why BK's parents were subpoenaed over this. I mean, who is going to remember whether or not their adult son was home at a particular time on a particular evening a year ago. Kwim? I feel like there must be some concrete evidence or a connection found that seems pretty implicating of BK. MOO.

 

[Gut_feeling]

I want to point out also that the child's father was at the festival as well (reported in previous MSM). I don't recall if he went back to the house. Never mind, found it.

Family of missing 45-year-old Dana Smithers searching for answers

A family in the Poconos is searching for answers after their loved one suddenly went missing last month.

fox56.com

Snipped:
“She has three children. She has a young daughter. She's six. She has a 26-year-old son and a 23 year-old-daughter," said Furino. She added that Smithers was never been separated long from her family. She was last heard from on the night of May 28th after returning home from Happy Hour festival in Stroudsburg with her daughter and her daughter’s father," said Furino

I would be interested to know if the father of her daughter also went back to their home that night, maybe to walk them home and/or be a part of putting his daughter to bed? If so, I'd like to know when he says he left the house.

If her mother and daughter were in the house (did I read that right up above?), I'm just having a hard time imagining an intruder getting into the house and attacking Dana and/or getting her out of the house without Dana or perp making enough noise to wake someone up.

Although, if an intruder threatened her to stay quiet and come with them, I imagine Dana would be so worried about her mother and child getting hurt that she would comply.

 

[caradana]

So terribly sorry to read that her remains were found and identified. Perhaps we ask a moderator to update her status into Located - Deceased for further discussion. @GuyfromCanada what do you think would be best?

 

[Rumination1]

Who knows what the connection is with BK but we know he liked to befriend women and install cameras ….could he have befriended her and done such or changed the locks or something
I suspect ( my opinion only ) she got home then saw her assailant at the door. Stepped outside to communicate and then something happened . The poor family , it’s coming up for her anniversary I hope they are getting support

 

[Sjöberg]

As I could not see the links shared on this thread about how her body was found (I'm not in the States), I'll share some info:
body was found by a stranger

A few days earlier, on April 27, the department said in a press release that at approximately 11:22 am that day, dispatch received a call from borough employee who discovered “what was believed to be human remains” in a “wooded area next to Park Avenue/ 80 E on-ramp, in the Borough of Stroudsburg.” The remains were recovered by detectives and turned over to the coroner’s office.

the relationship with the father seems ok

Stacey said that Dana and her daughter’s father were no longer together but still maintained an amicable relationship.

and she did have a job

Tara told Dateline she saw Dana earlier that day. “She was driving home from work and I was walking over to -- there was this street festival,” she recalled. “She's like, ‘Hey, like, I'll see you over there.’”

and the dropping by at the neighbour was a common casual thing

Later that night, Dana came over to her place, Tara said. According to Tara, the two only live a few houses down from each other, so dropping in was a regular occurrence. “It was an open door policy, like, with her,” she said. “So she came in and she was here for a little bit,” Tara recalled.

Sister hoping for new clues in disappearance of Pennsylvania woman Dana Smithers, last seen on camera 7 months ago

 

[azure]

So terribly sorry to read that her remains were found and identified. Perhaps we ask a moderator to update her status into Located - Deceased for further discussion. @GuyfromCanada what do you think would be best?

Located cases where foul play is suspected are being moved into Crimes in the News these days.

 

[Crimescenetape]

Ms Smithers has a 25 year old son and 23 year old daughter as well as a 7 year old. Kohberger is 28. The article quoted previously here also stated Smithers' neighbor and friend of 16 years said she had a cigarette with her before going home the night of the Happy Hour festival. She smoked rarely and when stressed according to friend.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Sincere condolences to her family and friends. I hope the full truth of what happened to her can be found.

 

[arielilane]

Bryan Kohberger’s parents have been called to testify before a grand jury in Pennsylvania, NewsNation learned. The case is related to Dana Smithers, a woman who went missing in May 2022 in the same Pennsylvania county where Kohberger lived. MORE: https://trib.al/NYm9msW

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661703935319592960

https://twitter.com/NewsNation

 

[arielilane]

Speculation post only!

It was a Saturday evening around 11:00 pm ET last time DS was seen on May 28, 2022. Curious if we will see if any surveillance cameras, phone records, etc will show as to BK's whereabouts were at that time. May be items were find?

All speculation, no facts! moo

 

[JerseyGirl]

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but May 28, 2022 was the Saturday of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

 

[Teche]

I can’t imagine that the parents were randomly selected to testify in the grand jury hearing. It must be more then a fishing expedition.

 

[KellySleuth]

Was it ever disclosed what Dana's cause of death was?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I can’t imagine that the parents were randomly selected to testify in the grand jury hearing. It must be more then a fishing expedition.

Exactly. We don't know what they have discovered but this isn't random IMO

 

[KellySleuth]

I don't know enough about how grand juries work, but are people ever called to rule out others? It it possible they have another suspect in this case and they brought his parents before the grand jury to rule BK out?

 

[TL4S]

Was it ever disclosed what Dana's cause of death was?

I've only read in articles that the COD has not been determined yet.

 

[MajorHoople]

Sleuths told family of missing woman that Bryan Kohberger lived nearby

The family of a missing Pennsylvania woman called the cops after they were alerted by internet sleuths that Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger lived in the area.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"The family of a missing Pennsylvania woman called the cops after they were alerted by internet sleuths to the 'possibility' that Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger was in the area at the time she vanished.

Dana Smithers, 45, went missing on May 28, 2022. Her remains were uncovered in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on April 27 this year - about 30 miles away from Kohberger's family home in Albrightsville.

In a bombshell development this week, Kohberger's parents were subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury investigating the case.

It has now emerged that Smithers' sister, Stacey Anne, posted to her Facebook page, 'Finding Dana', on January 2, thanking those who had been 'reaching out recently regarding the possibility of the suspect in the horrific murders in Idaho having been in our area around the time of my sister, Dana's disappearance'.

She added: 'I have forwarded all of your suggestions on to local law enforcement. Please pray for everyone involved."

 

[mmeynstyn]

When was the grand jury initiated in the case? I am trying to understand the timing / sequence of events in this case. I understand the body was just discovered at the end of April. Was the Grand Jury already in place? Did they find some kind of link between DS and BK in all the evidence that was collected back Dec/Jan for the ID 4 Crime?

More questions than answers. Unfortunately, sounds like that has been the case for the past year. Sad.