Onfortuneswheel
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I also have a few questions about Ed and Stephanie. How did they meet? How long had they been together? How long had they been addicts? Had they always lived with the Smiths? Does anyone know what became of the Smiths other daughter?
I've seen conflicting stories but from what I've been able to gather, Stephanie left Pennsylvania after graduating from Upper Merion HS in 1972. She apparently traveled a bit and returned to Pennsylvania in the summer of 1976, having been living in California (the mother, also Stephanie, was diagnosed with aggressive cancer in 1976, so I'm wondering if that's why she returned).
Stephanie and Eddie met in early 1977 after Eddie noticed Stephanie crying on a street corner in downtown Philadelphia. They were married a few months later. Of note, Stephanie was also arrested for prostitution on February 17, 1977 (you can look up the docket record on the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal). I actually wonder if this is how they met. Eddie was on probation at the time for robbery charges. It places both of them at the courthouse.
If I remember correctly, part of the conditions for both Stephanie's and Eddie's probation was that they get clean and attend rehab clinics. It was what prompted them to move in with her father in the fall of 1977. The hope was that Upper Merion was far enough away from their friends in Philadelphia who were supplying them with drugs. Stephanie began receiving treatment at a methadone clinic in Norristown. Eddie first went to clinics in Philadelphia, and later in Pottstown, Montgomery County.
An interesting side note is that the robberies at local Sears stores started the same month the Hunsbergers' moved into Smith residence.
Stephanie and Edward continued making their court mandated appointments at the methadone clinics until their disappearance in February 1978. A bench warrant was issued for Eddie's arrest in September 1978 for probation violations.
Newspaper articles from Smith's trial talked about how he filed for financial hardship since all of his money was going towards a trust to take care of his daughter, Char, who was institutionalized. When he was released from prison, he moved to the Wilkes-Barre area in order to be closer to her.