Found Deceased OR - Hunter Smith, 18, Junction City, 18 June 2017 *Arrests*

  • #21
This sounds like some type of thrill killing by Vandenberg. It make me wonder if he has done something like this before.
If he didn't make those comments on FB he could still be on the loose. I am curious if he made any strange comments on FB when he actually killed Hunter.

Around the time of the killing he was trying to see a gun “for a friend” on Facebook. It looks like you might be dead on about this being a thrill kill. There are some more details here but still no clear motive or positive ID on the victim. I also wonder if he’s done something like this before.
http://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/...etails-in-owyhee-county-murder-case/488579237
 
  • #22
Two more arrests have been made in this case but a positive ID of the victim has not yet been made. http://www.ktvb.com/mobile/article/...connection-with-hitchhikers-slaying/488114058

This article includes their pictures: http://idahonews.com/news/local/two-more-people-arrested-in-connection-to-owyhee-county-killing

As a member of Hunter's family, its sad to report that the DNA has came back as a positive match. The family appreciates all the help that all of the kind strangers have given us trying to find Hunter. May he get the justice he deserves for such a horrendous crime. I feel Hunter would be glad to know him leaving this earth has stopped 3 people who had talked about doing this type of thing again.
 
  • #23
As a member of Hunter's family, its sad to report that the DNA has came back as a positive match. The family appreciates all the help that all of the kind strangers have given us trying to find Hunter. May he get the justice he deserves for such a horrendous crime. I feel Hunter would be glad to know him leaving this earth has stopped 3 people who had talked about doing this type of thing again.

Welcome to WS Kel04! I'm sorry it is under such sad circumstances.

My condolences to you and your family.
 
  • #24
  • #25
  • #26
Yes, very long process. They all have a preliminary hearing on December 18th. Never know how much you wish for something to be sped up until you don't have ANY answers. We want to know why? What did my 18 year old nephew do that make 20 and 30 year olds want to hurt him??
 
  • #27
I can't even imagine the timeline. After just having a vehicle stolen it was over 3 months of court dates. I do hope the prosecutors take the time to really work the case for your family though.

I am still so confused about why too. They didn't know him previously so I don't understand a personal motive and I haven't heard of robbery being a motive either. So, with passion and property out the window, what is there?

I could only find one of the defendant's facebook pages (well, after Nicholas Vandenberg's was deleted). It looks like she is apparently not in custody as she has updated her profile picture a few times lately. Her profile was easy to find with that unique name but it gave me no clues as to motive.

I am curious, I have always wondered why Hunter was heading to Nebraska? It struck me as an unlikely destination for someone from Junction City. I used to live in Eugene and it seemed like at least the people I knew were more heading up and down I-5.

I realize as a family member there might be things you can't say here, which is totally fine. I do want to help if I can. I'm in a neighboring county in Idaho so just let me know if there is anything that I can do.
 
  • #28
I really don't think robbery was a motive. He was only on the road 4 days when he was killed. When he left JC he had the clothes on his back, a tent, $8, and a couple packages of Ramen Noodles (stuff given to him by a friend). I don't think he could of accumulated much more in the few days.
As far as I know, guess I will check vinelink when I get done here, Montanna is still in jail. From what I'm understanding, all 3 suspects will be in jail until atleast December 18th when they have their preliminary hearings.

Willie does have a facebook, he goes by Keith Rabey on there. But either he doesn't post much, or its set to private.

Hunter was going back to Nebraska. He had lived there from November 2016 to Febuary 2017. Came back to Oregon after his marriage fell apart. After fighting with his daughter's mother, he felt like he couldn't be the father he wanted to be to his daughter and had nothing holding him in Oregon so he wanted to go back to NE where he had started a new life with new friends.

As far as details, we do have some..I'd say hearsay details which I don't know to be true or not, so much rather than spreading rumors that may not be true we will keep to ourselves. There seems to be a lot of people that are keeping up with the case, so I am sure when things come to light it will be all over the internet.

For helping out, if there was anyone you knew that might of picked him up before he met up with these 3, knowing where they met up would be awesome. We don't know if one of them picked him up in Burns or Ontario or Boise. He contacted a few friends on June 20th saying he was in Burns,OR saying he was at a nice couples' house. They were going to drive him to Ontario,OR so he could jump on a greyhound to Boise, where he thought he could catch up with a trucker going to NE. That was the last contact he had with anyone. So we don't know if two of them were the "nice couple" or if they found him somewhere else. There is 2 days so far unaccounted for between the 20th and 22nd.
 
  • #29
And according to Vinelink all 3 are still in custody
 
  • #30
How awful. So very sad for you, Kel, and all those who knew and loved Hunter. His daughter won't get to know him regardless now - at any point in her life - and what she will learn about him will be this tragedy.

Please take good care of yourself now. I hope Hunter's memory is honored with grace and love. No one deserves this.
 
  • #31
This is all so helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share all of this as I am sure rehashing this info online is very difficult considering the circumstances. This makes so much more sense now as to why Nebraska. It also makes the whole story so much more sad.

I was in Eastern Oregon a few weeks after he would have come through but I'm typically not on the freeway much. I would be really curious if any records from Greyhound were able to confirm if he made it to Boise or not. If he did, it's close to the heart of the homeless area, which extends from Rhodes Skate Park either way on 16th and Americana. Interfaith Sanctuary is a large shelter there. If he were trying to get from the Greyhound station to the freeway he would have likely gone up Capitol/Vista or Broadway (Americana/Latah do go South but there isn't a freeway entrance there). Where Broadway connects to I-84 there's a big TA truck stop frequented by many truckers and travelers from the freeway. There are many businesses along both where someone may have seen him.

If you're not already using it, you can see Idaho court records and schedules here:
https://mycourts.idaho.gov/odysseyportal/Home/Dashboard/29

It looks like Rabey has ties to the Treasure valley (divorce in Canyon County and driving without privileges in Ada County to name a few). I would guess if Hunter was in Boise it may have been Rabey who he first made contact with. Vandenberg has an Ada County record too but as it's small claims I'm not sure if that would just show up there if that is where the company is based and Rabey has quite a bit more.

Do you happen to know what vehicles any of the defendants drive?
 
  • #32
Over a year since he was killed, coming up on a year that he was found (next month), we still have not received his remains to give him the proper burial that he deserves. All 3 suspects have waved their rights to a speedy trial, so their trials wont start til June 2019( for Vandenberg, August 2019 for Rabey, and October 2019 for Reed). The prosecutor is seeking the death penalty on all 3 suspects, and whatever Rabey receives will be enhanced since Idaho has classified him as a "persistent violator". This is the latest article they have published about the suspects. Owyhee County could seek death penalty against 3 suspects in the killing of a hitchhiker
Me and his mother did a phone interview last week to give people an inside look into Hunter. We wanted people to see who he was without the main focus being on the suspects. His mother has set up a gofundme in his honor to raise money to sponsor another at risk youth hopefully get on the right track. The fund will be open til October 2, 2019, which would of been Hunter's 21st birthday. Killed 18-year-old hitchhiker remembered for his goofy smile, old soul
 
  • #33
Its sad what happened with Hunter, but some shouldn't be trusted with your worst mistakes... Hopefully his family can get past his death ..
 
  • #34

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