Deceased/Not Found VA - Eric Smith, 42, Cedar Bluff, 8 Nov 2013

[Dhighsmith]

Thanks for this.

He may have been just checking his stand, but he did take his gun. Not unusual for those of us that hunt. Even if you're just planning on being out there for less than an hour, you take your gun. I knew a duck hunter who when walking to where he was duck hunting would load his gun with buckshot on the chance he would see a deer. (And he did get a deer like that one time.) If you have your gun you take your license - assuming it was in his wallet. And there are a few hunters who carry their license separately from their wallet and duck hunters in particular do this, keeping it in a waterproof case or ziplock bag and leave their wallet in their vehicle. If Eric Smith did this, then his wallet in the truck is not a big deal either.

I do remember reading that they had not been in that house for very long. But I only read about it in one or two articles.

That his family lost everything is not something that has been publicized and I can understand why. But since LE looks to a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend first you would think that would be important to LE as it makes it much less likely that she was involved.

I can't get over the dogs tracking back to the house. They indicate he left his wallet in his truck. This leads me to believe he drove his truck over there to check the stand. But why walk back if the dogs were on the right track? Of course, that he drove his truck over is an assumption on my part. He could have left his wallet in the truck from the day before and it was still parked at the house, while he walked over to that area.

Reply after nearly a year- I think the solution is the simplest answer, Occam’s Razor. Things aren’t always the way they appear, I’d be curious when and who was the last person other than his wife to see him or talk with him. Financial freedom isn’t always the singular motive for a spouse. I certainly have no way of knowing about him or his family but when reading the commit that his/their religion prevented placing any assets in wife’s name that raised red flags for me. In most relationships that action would be done to control the wife but may not be an issue for someone born and raised in that environment.

 

[Dhighsmith]

Thanks for this.

He may have been just checking his stand, but he did take his gun. Not unusual for those of us that hunt. Even if you're just planning on being out there for less than an hour, you take your gun. I knew a duck hunter who when walking to where he was duck hunting would load his gun with buckshot on the chance he would see a deer. (And he did get a deer like that one time.) If you have your gun you take your license - assuming it was in his wallet. And there are a few hunters who carry their license separately from their wallet and duck hunters in particular do this, keeping it in a waterproof case or ziplock bag and leave their wallet in their vehicle. If Eric Smith did this, then his wallet in the truck is not a big deal either.

I do remember reading that they had not been in that house for very long. But I only read about it in one or two articles.

That his family lost everything is not something that has been publicized and I can understand why. But since LE looks to a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend first you would think that would be important to LE as it makes it much less likely that she was involved.

I can't get over the dogs tracking back to the house. They indicate he left his wallet in his truck. This leads me to believe he drove his truck over there to check the stand. But why walk back if the dogs were on the right track? Of course, that he drove his truck over is an assumption on my part. He could have left his wallet in the truck from the day before and it was still parked at the house, while he walked over to that area.

Reply after nearly a year- I think the solution is the simplest answer, Occam’s Razor. Things aren’t always the way they appear, I’d be curious when and who was the last person other than his wife to see him or talk with him. Financial freedom isn’t always the singular motive for a spouse. I certainly have no way of knowing about him or his family but when reading the commit that his/their religion prevented placing any assets in wife’s name that raised red flags for me. In most relationships that action would be done to control the wife but may not be an issue for someone born and raised in that environment.

 

[JnRyan]

Since the 7 year mark has passed I thought I would search the internet. Especially since seven years is the length of time that has to pass to declare someone dead. The Bluefield newspaper had something.
Where is Eric? Mystery of missing Tazewell hunter unsolved

That his cell phone and cigarettes were left behind is not entirely strange to me. My father smoked and he would not even smoke in the car or anywhere else with his hunting clothes on. We always thought the deer could associate tobacco smoke with humans so it wasn't done. And he absolutely wouldn't do it on a deer stand. So maybe Eric left them behind for the same reason. Also, even though he was on call were there those that hunted with him that saw him take his phone with him to the stand? Maybe he had done that before. LE stated that they could find no one at the mine that spoke ill of him. Maybe it is the auditor in me, but this guy was a supervisor and there is likely to be someone who was not happy with him. What about someone who was no longer employed at the mine.

Not much else out there but it is good to see something in the media to remind the public.

 

[Roselvr]

To answer the last 2 posts. Having contact with the family I can only say so much but I'll try to answer all that I can without compromising my conversations with them.

I was big on his wife being the last person to see him but I don't feel that way. She and the youngest had gone to his mothers to help her. As I've said, they had recently bought the house. Someone could have come there looking for the old owner.

I read the article provided. I wish his daughter(s) would give an interview. They would tell you he didn't smoke while hunting because it would scare the deer away and he didn't take his cell phone because 7 years ago, there was no cell reception on the mountain. I believe the reception was bad in his house too. He was not going to hunt, he was going to check his stand.

In their religion it is common for everything to be in the husbands name only. She grew up this way too.

As I've said, his wife and young daughter were put in the street. His wife had to get a job in order for them to eat, she'd never worked before. Thankfully a relative provided housing for them.

Way back when I 1st started speaking to them, I advised them to tell his wife to get power of attorney over his finances and house so that she could legally sell the house before it went into foreclosure but she did not and to this day, she has not done anything to take over his accounts. She and their 7 years older daughter have gotten the $hit end of the stick. I honestly don't feel she had anything to do with it.

My money is on someone that lived there before or someone from his job even though he's supposedly well liked or he fell to where they couldn't find him with the heat sensing they used when they searched.

He also could have had a health episode. He was not feeling well from what I remember.

Hopefully they will find his remains eventually. I do not feel he left his family.

 

[JnRyan]

Checking in. Nothing out there on this. He could have had an accident while out there and his remains are still there. However, I seriously doubt this. While all reports have him as very well respected by those on the mine crews, it is very difficult to please everyone. I hope LE has checked out all the employees that worked for him - past and present.

 

[JnRyan]

Checking in. Nothing in the media or from LE. I would have thought another hunter would have come across his remains by now. I don't believe he is on the property. Although, as someone pointed out, tracking a wounded deer could have taken him off his own property.

 

[JnRyan]

Dropping in again. I was looking for someone else in the Charley Project and saw Eric's page. I'm fairly sure one of us has posted it previously, but I'm bumping it up here. Besides I see where it was updated in March 2020 (Photos added.)
Eric Grady Smith – The Charley Project

 

[Anderson71]

I live in the town where Eric Smith lived and went missing from. There was a body (skeletal remains) dressed in full camouflage found in the woods early this morning. I hope and pray this is Eric and he gets justice and peace. His family deserves answers, especially his Mom!!!

 

[JnRyan]

I live in the town where Eric Smith lived and went missing from. There was a body (skeletal remains) dressed in full camouflage found in the woods early this morning. I hope and pray this is Eric and he gets justice and peace. His family deserves answers, especially his Mom!!!

Thanks for the update. If it is Eric Smith, I hope LE can give the family and others answers.

 

[Anderson71]

I agree, his parents, Dreama and Freeman have done their best to keep it in the fore front of the public, with little success. It has really taken a toll on them, his family deserves the truth.

 

[JnRyan]

Any updates? Too early for DNA results, but there are probably other ways to tell. He supposedly had his muzzle loader rifle with him.

 

[JnRyan]

Checking in for updates. There is one article in SW VA Today dated 12 January 2022 stating that LE has new leads but it is behind a pay wall and I can't read it.

 

[MaryG12]

 

[JnRyan]

Thanks. That is probably the only video or podcast on the case to date.

 

[Luckyzmom]

Thank you

 

[JnRyan]

I live in the town where Eric Smith lived and went missing from. There was a body (skeletal remains) dressed in full camouflage found in the woods early this morning. I hope and pray this is Eric and he gets justice and peace. His family deserves answers, especially his Mom!!!

Any updates? I suppose if he left his wallet behind there is no ID on the body. But he may still have his hunting license on him as I know some hunters used to carry theirs separately in a zip lock bag. (Although this was usually done by those who also duck hunted.) And there is his rifle. I would think that gun would be another identifying factor. Otherwise, DNA takes time.

 

[Ozoner]

Any updates? I suppose if he left his wallet behind there is no ID on the body. But he may still have his hunting license on him as I know some hunters used to carry theirs separately in a zip lock bag. (Although this was usually done by those who also duck hunted.) And there is his rifle. I would think that gun would be another identifying factor. Otherwise, DNA takes time.

I'm assuming that it's him, but I'm patiently waiting to hear details. If he was shot with his own gun, it could have been an accident or suicide, but they might be able to make a reasonable guess as to which based on the direction of the shot. If he died of natural causes—such as a heart attack or a massive stroke—then it might be impossible to determine the cause of death.

 

[JnRyan]

Still no updates. I'm wondering how much LE has been able to get with the results from the body. Assuming now there was a body found.

 

[JnRyan]

The FB page. No updates on it so far.

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[imstilla.grandma]

Victim Information​

ERIC GRADY SMITH​

Gender:MaleHeight:6'1"Hair Color:BrownAge:42Race:WhiteWeight:210Eye Color:Brown

Case Details​

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE – DIVISION FOUR – CASE: 13-20071​

ABOUT THE CASE:​

It has been reported that Eric Smith was last seen on the morning of November 8, 2013 at his residence. He set off that morning on foot to hunt on his property. He was armed with a 50 Caliber muzzle loader. He was wearing camouflage clothing. When he did not return home that evening his wife reported him missing. Numerous searches of the property and adjoining properties have been conducted with negative results. ViCAP # 2014VSP00004 NAMUS #MP26485 Not entered to NDIR, but are entered into NCIC
Case Type:Missing Person

Virginia State Police – Division Four – Case: 13-20071 – Wytheville – VSP Division Four