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

[AzPistonsGirl]

still has to be more than that to call them in IMO. They got her messages, investigated, and now here we are. I have no thoughts about whether BK is connected.

IMO

 

[aurora101]

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?

I was on a Grand Jury years ago, but I remember that we (the citizens on the Grand Jury) were able to summon witnesses that we felt we needed to talk to before we could make an informed decision. So it could be that the Grand Jury subpoenaed them to confirm or debunk details that would strengthen the case that Kohberger was involved.

 

[KellySleuth]

From the Stroud Area Regional Police Department's Facebook page:

PRESS RELEASE
The Stroud Area Regional Police Department is aware of the many currently reported news articles, in which various media outlets have reported connections between the SARPD’s Dana Smithers missing person investigation and Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.
The SARPD has NO EVIDENCE that Dana Smither’s disappearance, is in ANY WAY tied to Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

no evidence and yet...

what a waste of resources if that's the case.

 

[TL4S]

Have they even confirmed if her death was a homicide yet?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Have they even confirmed if her death was a homicide yet?

I do not believe it has, and that is a great point. She struggled with substance abuse in the past, was reportedly, allegedly, perhaps anxious that evening, it was not all that odd for her to have gone out of touch sometimes. Also, BK's parents were probably subpoened prior to Dana being found, so maybe it was indeed more information gathering than hashing out a tip. (my apologies for coming on so strong. Some of us like the taste of crow and hats.)

this is not a new article and was already posted here several times, but I'm just attaching a link for the factual information I've included in this post:

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

The 45-year-old was last seen on May 28, 2022, leaving her neighbor’s house. Her phone, purse, and other personal items were later recovered at her house.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Smithers’ sister, Stacey Anne, revealed the connection was made by online sleuths who reached out to her with tips on a Facebook page dedicated to “Finding Dana.”

She wrote about the amateur sleuths in a post on January 2, thanking them for “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 she forwarded the tips to local law enforcement, who would go on to discover Smithers’ body in a wooded area in Stroudsburg on April 27, about 30 miles from Kohberger’s family home. Her cause of death remains unknown.

Bryan Kohberger dragged into missing-woman cold case after online sleuths tip off family

University of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has been dragged into an investigation into a missing woman, Dana Smithers, who was recently found dead.

nypost.com

*eta:

Finding Dana.. Dana Kristine Smithers missing from Stroudsburg PA 5/28/2022 | Facebook

Dana Kristine Smithers was last seen leaving a friend's house on 5/28/2022. We know she came home because items in her possession at the friend's house were found in the house the following day. I...

www.facebook.com

 

[Boxer]

Doubt BK can be a rule out based on alibi, Dana Smithers disappeared 11:30pm to 8am.
BK is awake at night and doing things.

 

[10ofRods]

I was on a Grand Jury years ago, but I remember that we (the citizens on the Grand Jury) were able to summon witnesses that we felt we needed to talk to before we could make an informed decision. So it could be that the Grand Jury subpoenaed them to confirm or debunk details that would strengthen the case that Kohberger was involved.

Did you summon them based on what you already heard? IOW, how did you know who to summon?
Truly curious (we don't use GJ's in the same way in California, although it varies a bit by county).

 

[arielilane]

Stroud Area Regional Police Dept. in PA has released a statement saying there is no evidence the Dana Smithers case is connected to Bryan Kohberger. We reported yesterday he has a "strong alibi." Why the grand jury still wanted to question Kohberger's parents - we don't know.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661790672968613888

https://twitter.com/BrianEntin

 

[10ofRods]

I do not believe it has, and that is a great point. She struggled with substance abuse in the past, was reportedly, allegedly, perhaps anxious that evening, it was not all that odd for her to have gone out of touch sometimes. Also, BK's parents were probably subpoened prior to Dana being found, so maybe it was indeed more information gathering than hashing out a tip. (my apologies for coming on so strong. Some of us like the taste of crow and hats.)

this is not a new article and was already posted here several times, but I'm just attaching a link for the factual information I've included in this post:

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

The 45-year-old was last seen on May 28, 2022, leaving her neighbor’s house. Her phone, purse, and other personal items were later recovered at her house.

www.nbcnews.com

You think they were subpoenaed prior to April 22? I thought the opposite. I wish we knew.

no evidence and yet...

what a waste of resources if that's the case.

It's possible the evidence is coming from a different LE agency. Seems likely. Still questionable, of course. IOW, Stroud is not the PD that deals with Kohberger nor do they have the evidence found within the PA warrant for Kohberger's home (unless it's been shared beyond the GJ - but I thought the GJ was supposed to be secret).

One of my concerns is that mountainous resort regions have, IME, lots of crime and are also places where marginally employed, drifter-type people show up. So I would assume there would be more than one suspect (Kohberger is just the most famous).

I appreciate your efforts in supplying links very much.

Thank you.

What I wrote above is speculation.

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661920416523509761

 

[MrsWatson]

So could one or both of BK's parents have some sort of connection to Dana? Nothing to do with BK himself at all?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Speculation - maybe they needed his parents to help confirm his alibi?

 

[Boxer]

Hopefully the police have more info to go on for DS now that her body has been revovered.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Bryan Kohberger's Parents Called To Testify In Case Of Missing Woman After Remains Are Found - The Police Tribune

Monroe County, PA – The parents of the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students have been called to testify before a Pennsylvania grand jury in the separate case involving a missing woman whose remains were found in the woods in April. Dana Smithers, 45, disappeared on May 28...

policetribune.com

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1662413587443245056

https://twitter.com/idahostatesman

While police are still investigating Dana Smithers’ death, they’ve made it clear that her disappearance isn’t “in any way tied” to Bryan Kohberger.

 

[bonniejeanne17]

You think they were subpoenaed prior to April 22? I thought the opposite. I wish we knew.



It's possible the evidence is coming from a different LE agency. Seems likely. Still questionable, of course. IOW, Stroud is not the PD that deals with Kohberger nor do they have the evidence found within the PA warrant for Kohberger's home (unless it's been shared beyond the GJ - but I thought the GJ was supposed to be secret).

One of my concerns is that mountainous resort regions have, IME, lots of crime and are also places where marginally employed, drifter-type people show up. So I would assume there would be more than one suspect (Kohberger is just the most famous).

I appreciate your efforts in supplying links very much.

Thank you.

What I wrote above is speculation.

The Poconos are to Pennsylvania what the Pine Barrens is to New Jersey.
Bodies are always being discovered, some murders, some suicides, and many missing persons.
There are usually a couple of serial killers criss-crossing the major highways of Northern PA. at any given season.
I hope Dana's case has been turned over to the Pennsylvania State Police by now.

 

[Black Diamond]

Speculation but obvious : there wouldn’t be an investigative grand jury if she died by OD or suicide. They must have determined a cause of death by homicide.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Celebration of Life is Sunday for Dana Smithers

Dana Smithers, who went missing in the Poconos one year ago, will have a Celebration of Life on Sunday, June 25

www.poconorecord.com

The case of the missing woman from the Poconos came to a halt when her remains were found a year later, but what happened to Dana Kristine Smithers still remains a mystery.

A Celebration of Life is being held for Smithers on Sunday, June 25 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania from 12-3 p.m.

Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac conducted the autopsy with a forensic odonatologist that helped confirm the identity of the missing 45 year old woman, Dana Kristine Smithers, using dental records. Results of the autopsy and the cause of death are still pending further testing and toxicology results from Mercyhurst University Forensic Science Department in Erie.

According to the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, the cause and manner of death are currently undetermined. The case remains an active and ongoing investigation.

Continues at link.