Very Strange Story/Note from 1985 Found in Butt of Gun

[Hazelnutty]

Very interesting. Only able to scroll up to 1 comment by Bill & 2 comments by Adam before FB freezes.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Wait. If you're trying to prove your father was murdered why would you get rid of the gun?

A very similar thing happened to my grandfather on the 70's. I feel him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The note is clear to steer things away from Mother. It was Mother's mother's gun. Kid hid note in gun to protect his mother and got rid of the gun for the same reason. if the gun was ever found, the alibi for mother was right inside if something ever happened to the kid? He was scared?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

The note is clear to steer things away from Mother. It was Mother's mother's gun. Kid hid note in gun to protect his mother and got rid of the gun for the same reason. if the gun was ever found, the alibi for mother was right inside if something ever happened to the kid? He was scared?

I don't think the gun in which the note was found is the same gun that killed Bill's dad (which was a revolver). I don't know where I've read that though, possibly in that old newspaper article

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Summary from articles linked above.

Shooting death 6/11

2 days before - the Smiths had reported a prowler.

4 days before - he was released from the hospital where he was recovering from a stab wound inflicted during an armed robbery on 6/01 at the Shamrock station. His wife had intercepted a threatening phone call at the hospital.

He borrowed a gun (5 shot revolver) from his mother-in-law the day before for protection.

Smith was involved in a one vehicle accident on 2/08. A family member reported Smith had been forced off the road. He spent 10 days in a hospital recovering from his injuries.

The FBI was called into the investigation after deputies heard reports, Smith was a federally protected witness. FBI reports he was not a protected witness or former FBI agent.

Smith opened a counseling clinic in January and was a certified paralegal allowed in federal courts on behalf of victims.

The case was investigated as a homicide connected with the armed robbery.

Results from crime lab show Smith had fired a gun shortly before he died.

Although weapon was not found in Smith's hand, evidence could have been moved as rescue workers tried to save his life.

The shooting death of Smith will be considered a suicide by San Juan Sheriff deputies unless any new information can be provided.

ETA - please feel free to make corrections or add any pertinent information missed.

 

[wfgodot]

pretty convoluted story

snip

Rather.

 

[ninij9]

Summary from articles linked above.

Shooting death 6/11

2 days before - the Smiths had reported a prowler.

4 days before - he was released from the hospital where he was recovering from a stab wound inflicted during an armed robbery on 6/01 at the Shamrock station. His wife had intercepted a threatening phone call at the hospital.

He borrowed a gun (5 shot revolver) from his mother-in-law the day before for protection.

Smith was involved in a one vehicle accident on 2/08. A family member reported Smith had been forced off the road. He spent 10 days in a hospital recovering from his injuries.

The FBI was called into the investigation after deputies heard reports, Smith was a federally protected witness. FBI reports he was not a protected witness or former FBI agent.

Smith opened a counseling clinic in January and was a certified paralegal allowed in federal courts on behalf of victims.

The case was investigated as a homicide connected with the armed robbery.

Results from crime lab show Smith had fired a gun shortly before he died.

Although weapon was not found in Smith's hand, evidence could have been moved as rescue workers tried to save his life.

The shooting death of Smith will be considered a suicide by San Juan Sheriff deputies unless any new information can be provided.

ETA - please feel free to make corrections or add any pertinent information missed.

It sounds to me almost like a spouses repeated failed attempts at having hubby killed in a hit...

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...h+ambulance&rtserp=tags/nikki-smith-ambulance

Fwiw It appears the ambulance broke down twice en route to the hospital. The first time they found someone with jumper cables and got it going without headlights so they had to go slow. Then it broke down again and another ambulance had to be called.

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...h+ambulance&rtserp=tags/nikki-smith-ambulance

Article dated March 21, 1985 - Mall Planned
The couple was in the process of building a 90,000 sq foot mall and hoped it would be open for the holidays.

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...pinasco+smith&rtserp=tags/nikki-pinasco-smith

May 20, 1989 - Estate auction - 30 acres, 2 homes plus a guest house and personal property.

I wonder if Harley was aka Sam? I've seen him mentioned as Sam in the above article about the mall and also in a family obituary.

 

[carbuff]

If I put this story in one of my novels, I'd get raked over the coals for the implausibility.

 

[allfalldown]

Hello, my name is Adam Christian Smith. I am the first born son (of two) to Harley Arlen "Sam" Smith. Bill is my step brother - and we "know" each other but more know "of" each other.

Here is my post on Reddit so I don't have to retype it. I am in contact with Bill but we've not made any plans going forward. I've been researching this for 32 years. I was 12 when this happened, my step brother Bill was older than me, maybe 19?

https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/comments/61cork/fathers_death_murder_or_suicide_1985/

Fire away any questions you have.

Thanks for taking the time to read and your kindness.

Adam
Seattle, WA

 

[allfalldown]

Just to be clear, Bill would have been Harley Smith's step son. But we both were pained by this as when you care about someone, blood doesn't matter so much. My father was NOT a CIA agent, FBI agent, or law officer. He worked for the Disabled American Veterans and helped other wounded veterans from the Vietnam war find benefits and tried to help them.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

I have the autopsy and the firearm used to end my fathers life was a handgun, a .38 if memory serves me correctly - but I reserve the right to go check up on that if it becomes more important. I have may documents and finding newspaper articles in Farmington, NM and Aztec, NM newspapers are out there.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

trying to read the thread but its so long fb keeps freezing.

Don't feel bad about FB freezing, there is ZERO help there, no clues, just people interested in the case. ½ of the posts are people just replying with a "." to subscribe to the thread the easy way rather than just using the drop down. I have also posted this story on Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/comments/61cork/fathers_death_murder_or_suicide_1985/

 

[allfalldown]

Amazing. This would make a great movie.

I have ½ the screenplay written because it is my life. I've been on and off trying to figure this out - my feeling is that he committed suicide but I was a 12 year old in Seattle when it happened. He was a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran and had pain both body and soul. I get the distinct feeling he was troubled but that does not rule out murder. It has been driving me ½ insane for my whole life. It used to be something I had buried and only shared with people I trust. Now that this note is out, all of a sudden the world knows and it has really spun me out to lose that control. But I'm embracing it and hoping to find out if there were dirty cops, or family, or if he just did what many Vietnam Veterans (and modern veterans do) and just couldn't take it and killed himself.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

Very interesting case. From the comments I saw son Bill wrote the note and another son Adam has commented. I haven't been able to get back into the comments with that thread freezing when I try to load them again.
Does anyone know why Bill has a different last name?

Bill's last name is different because he is a step-son of my father, Harley Smith. My father left my mom when I was 6 and my brother was 6 months old. He left his first two born sons to marry a Nikki Pinasco (Smith and now Smith Wilden as she married again).

acs

 

[allfalldown]

Summary from articles linked above.

Shooting death 6/11

2 days before - the Smiths had reported a prowler.

4 days before - he was released from the hospital where he was recovering from a stab wound inflicted during an armed robbery on 6/01 at the Shamrock station. His wife had intercepted a threatening phone call at the hospital.

He borrowed a gun (5 shot revolver) from his mother-in-law the day before for protection.

Smith was involved in a one vehicle accident on 2/08. A family member reported Smith had been forced off the road. He spent 10 days in a hospital recovering from his injuries.

The FBI was called into the investigation after deputies heard reports, Smith was a federally protected witness. FBI reports he was not a protected witness or former FBI agent.

Smith opened a counseling clinic in January and was a certified paralegal allowed in federal courts on behalf of victims.

The case was investigated as a homicide connected with the armed robbery.

Results from crime lab show Smith had fired a gun shortly before he died.

Although weapon was not found in Smith's hand, evidence could have been moved as rescue workers tried to save his life.

The shooting death of Smith will be considered a suicide by San Juan Sheriff deputies unless any new information can be provided.

ETA - please feel free to make corrections or add any pertinent information missed.

This is how the paper reported it. I have been unable to procure a police report, state, county or city of Aztec. I do have his autopsy report (pro tip: do not read autopsy reports of people you know or love).

Fuel to the weirdness fire: The house my dad owned burned ½ down 7 months after his death. Things lost in this fire were mainly documents of his - I inherited nothing - again I'm his first born son. The Aztec FD reported "Possible Incinderism" (arson). I have asked firefighters if this is a normal thing to put in a cause of a fire. They said no, usually it is unknown OR arson but rarely "possible". The addition of "possible" on there made local professionals strongly feel there is a good reason they thought it was arson.

The family usually never left the house but this happened while nobody was home for 3 whole weeks..... another mystery....

As to paralegal status, my father was a disabled American veteran and he counseled other vets and helped them get benefits due. If that helps.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...h+ambulance&rtserp=tags/nikki-smith-ambulance

Fwiw It appears the ambulance broke down twice en route to the hospital. The first time they found someone with jumper cables and got it going without headlights so they had to go slow. Then it broke down again and another ambulance had to be called.

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...h+ambulance&rtserp=tags/nikki-smith-ambulance

Article dated March 21, 1985 - Mall Planned
The couple was in the process of building a 90,000 sq foot mall and hoped it would be open for the holidays.

https://farmingtondailytimes.newspa...pinasco+smith&rtserp=tags/nikki-pinasco-smith

May 20, 1989 - Estate auction - 30 acres, 2 homes plus a guest house and personal property.

I wonder if Harley was aka Sam? I've seen him mentioned as Sam in the above article about the mall and also in a family obituary.

My father's name as Harley Arlen "Sam" Smith. He went by Sam to family and friends - perhaps he didn't like his first or middle names.

Also, my father's property was auctioned off without the 2nd wife even asking if I would want anything of my families heritage. We received no proceeds or personal items from my father, which of course I'd have cherished. I was very young but I know my father had a banjo that was passed down 2 generations and was to be mine. She had to have known this.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

Very interesting. Only able to scroll up to 1 comment by Bill & 2 comments by Adam before FB freezes.

I have been filling in holes here, I'm Adam Christian Smith, Harley "Sam" Smith's first born son. If you have questions, please feel free. I am no professional investigator but I have been on and off trying to learn and sleuth for 32 years. It weighs heavily on a son.

acs

 

[allfalldown]

If I put this story in one of my novels, I'd get raked over the coals for the implausibility.

Try living with it - trust me - it is real. I've ½ written two books from different points of view. I have a steel trap memory that nobody else in the family seems to have - no the other "family" with whom my father lost his life for some reason.

acs

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I have been filling in holes here, I'm Adam Christian Smith, Harley "Sam" Smith's first born son. If you have questions, please feel free. I am no professional investigator but I have been on and off trying to learn and sleuth for 32 years. It weighs heavily on a son.

acs

I'm sorry for the loss of your father and hope you and your family get the answers you need.

I've been intrigued by this story ever since I first heard about it. One thing I've wondered about is why put a note in a gun that wasn't involved in the incident and where did that gun come from? There are so many twists and coincidences in this story.

 

[allfalldown]

I'm sorry for the loss of your father and hope you and your family get the answers you need.

I've been intrigued by this story ever since I first heard about it. One thing I've wondered about is why put a note in a gun that wasn't involved in the incident and where did that gun come from? There are so many twists and coincidences in this story.

Thank you for your kind words and hopes. I'm unsure we ever will know exactly - an autopsy and odd police department calling it a suicide, and the wife adamant that she witnessed someone shoot and kill him, run and drive off.

I have tended to buy into suicide knowing his childhood was tough, then he was sent to Vietnam and nearly lost his life there only to come home told he'd never walk again. He was just determined enough to do it. But my gut feeling is that between the physical pain and psychological pain - it isn't too far a leap to suicide.

Of course, if one wanted to have a tidy murder to get away with, all those things work against him and could make a well done killing look like he killed himself because of his troubled demeanor.

Thusly, I'm posting in the best/most highly recommended places on the net to see if I can trip someone's brain into seeing or thinking something other than my myopic 32 year old search for every bit of information I can find.

Thanks again, and feel free to ask or comment away!

Best,

acs