chxrrydreamz
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Tina had a nice life, she had a child and a husband to take care of before her life was taken; here is some of what Tina’s life looked like before she passed away. Tina was born on September 26, 1969, and passed away on August 1, 1990. Tina lived in Watertown, New York, and was a Watertown High School Graduate. She was married to Dennis C. Smith, and had a son named Dennis Charles Smith Jr. Tina was twenty years old when she lived in Watertown, New York ([email protected] & Dry, 2020). On July 31, 1990, Tina was at Jack In The Box Tavern for a party. On August 1, 1990, at 2:30 a.m., she left the tavern alone, and after Tina left in her vehicle, an unidentified male left behind Tina. Later that morning, at 4:00 a.m. Tina exited the passenger side of a different car in a driveway between 231-233 Goodale St. Watertown, New York ([email protected] & Dry, 2020). The unidentified male driving shot Tina four times. Twice as she walked away, and twice more as she lay on the ground. The unknown male drove the vehicle away from the scene. Her family, including me, hope to find justice and bring peace to her family by knowing that someone has been convicted of their crime (Valverde, 2015).
Police found evidence that gave many leads, but it still was not enough to arrest anyone. The evidence includes a photograph of an unidentified male, a description of the vehicle that drove away from the scene, and two impounded cars that resemble the murderer's car. While Tina was at Jack In The Box Tavern, a photographer took a photo of her with an unidentified male; the photograph only shows what seemed to be the arm of a caucasian male. The vehicle that drove away from the scene of the murder is described as a white compact station wagon. Patrolman Thomas S. Strejilau saw the car as it left the scene. Since then, police have impounded two different cars that match the description Patrolman Thomas gave; but the only leads it has provided the police are three suspects. Robert L. Yates, because of a Fort Drum Bumper sticker. Denise Renne Hatchet and her husband Rodney J. Miller are the owners of the second vehicle. Mr. Miller matches the description of the unidentified male who accompanied Tina to Jack In The Box tavern the night before her murder. This evidence has helped police reach two of the five main suspects throughout her case; and will hopefully help with future reviews of the cold case.
There were many strong suspects in the case, but none of the evidence was strong enough to arrest a person, or the suspects did not match the physical description of the shooter (Valverde, 2015). The first suspect is Robert L. Yates. Mr. Yates was the strongest suspect because of the past murders he was convicted of and his physical appearance, along with the bumper sticker on one of the impounded vehicles. Mr. Yates is a caucasian male and has a lazy eye or sleepy eye. Many witnesses say that the male last seen with Tina had a lazy eye. The vehicle might have had a Fort Drum sticker, but Mr. Yates did not have a car under that description in his possession at the time of the murder. Mr. Yates also was deployed across the seas the night of her murder. Joseph A. Romano was the second suspect involved with the murder. Mr. Romano had stolen a gun, a weapon used in the murder, from Montgomery. Two months after the murder, a gun was reported stolen, which led police to believe that the gun stolen was after the murder. Mr. Romano was in state at the time of the crime, and his physical description matches the male in the vehicle the night of her murder. Her Ex-boyfriend, Otis B. Lindsey, was also one of the lead suspects in her murder because of his past hostility with Tina. He was charged on June 15, 1990, by Watertown police because he had slapped Tina across the face, pushed her head against the wall, and shoved her against a window, which caused the window to break; Tina got cut on the broken glass of the window. Mr. Lindsey then proceeded to take a piece of broken glass and held it up to her throat, threatening to kill her if she went to the police. The only thing that stops the police from arresting Mr. Lindsey for the murder is his physical appearance; Mr. Lindsey is a black male, not caucasian, and he does not have a sleepy eye. The next suspects in the murder are Denise Renne Hatchet and Rodney J. Miller. Mrs. Hatchett and Mr. Miller are a married couple and own one of the two impounded vehicles. The main reason they are still suspects is that neither one of the couples has even tried to contact the police to receive their vehicle. Mr. Miller has some physical similarities with the male last seen with Tina the night before her murder. These five people have been the main suspects throughout the cold case; and will always be suspects until it is solved.
The homicide of Tina Rose Hosmer Smith has been closed like a cold case for years now in Jefferson County (Valverde, 2015), and will probably never be solved. Someday, the person who killed Tina will die their death. My research has found that the evidence has brought many leads that lead to a few suspects. None of them have admitted to the crime or have been cleared because of conflicts within the case. From a family member who never got to meet her I'm just trying to get this case out there again. It's been forgotten and it's not fair to her or her family.
Police found evidence that gave many leads, but it still was not enough to arrest anyone. The evidence includes a photograph of an unidentified male, a description of the vehicle that drove away from the scene, and two impounded cars that resemble the murderer's car. While Tina was at Jack In The Box Tavern, a photographer took a photo of her with an unidentified male; the photograph only shows what seemed to be the arm of a caucasian male. The vehicle that drove away from the scene of the murder is described as a white compact station wagon. Patrolman Thomas S. Strejilau saw the car as it left the scene. Since then, police have impounded two different cars that match the description Patrolman Thomas gave; but the only leads it has provided the police are three suspects. Robert L. Yates, because of a Fort Drum Bumper sticker. Denise Renne Hatchet and her husband Rodney J. Miller are the owners of the second vehicle. Mr. Miller matches the description of the unidentified male who accompanied Tina to Jack In The Box tavern the night before her murder. This evidence has helped police reach two of the five main suspects throughout her case; and will hopefully help with future reviews of the cold case.
There were many strong suspects in the case, but none of the evidence was strong enough to arrest a person, or the suspects did not match the physical description of the shooter (Valverde, 2015). The first suspect is Robert L. Yates. Mr. Yates was the strongest suspect because of the past murders he was convicted of and his physical appearance, along with the bumper sticker on one of the impounded vehicles. Mr. Yates is a caucasian male and has a lazy eye or sleepy eye. Many witnesses say that the male last seen with Tina had a lazy eye. The vehicle might have had a Fort Drum sticker, but Mr. Yates did not have a car under that description in his possession at the time of the murder. Mr. Yates also was deployed across the seas the night of her murder. Joseph A. Romano was the second suspect involved with the murder. Mr. Romano had stolen a gun, a weapon used in the murder, from Montgomery. Two months after the murder, a gun was reported stolen, which led police to believe that the gun stolen was after the murder. Mr. Romano was in state at the time of the crime, and his physical description matches the male in the vehicle the night of her murder. Her Ex-boyfriend, Otis B. Lindsey, was also one of the lead suspects in her murder because of his past hostility with Tina. He was charged on June 15, 1990, by Watertown police because he had slapped Tina across the face, pushed her head against the wall, and shoved her against a window, which caused the window to break; Tina got cut on the broken glass of the window. Mr. Lindsey then proceeded to take a piece of broken glass and held it up to her throat, threatening to kill her if she went to the police. The only thing that stops the police from arresting Mr. Lindsey for the murder is his physical appearance; Mr. Lindsey is a black male, not caucasian, and he does not have a sleepy eye. The next suspects in the murder are Denise Renne Hatchet and Rodney J. Miller. Mrs. Hatchett and Mr. Miller are a married couple and own one of the two impounded vehicles. The main reason they are still suspects is that neither one of the couples has even tried to contact the police to receive their vehicle. Mr. Miller has some physical similarities with the male last seen with Tina the night before her murder. These five people have been the main suspects throughout the cold case; and will always be suspects until it is solved.
The homicide of Tina Rose Hosmer Smith has been closed like a cold case for years now in Jefferson County (Valverde, 2015), and will probably never be solved. Someday, the person who killed Tina will die their death. My research has found that the evidence has brought many leads that lead to a few suspects. None of them have admitted to the crime or have been cleared because of conflicts within the case. From a family member who never got to meet her I'm just trying to get this case out there again. It's been forgotten and it's not fair to her or her family.
