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Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial

    AndersonsInfo Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 18:48:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Tennessee

    Post 475 of 870
    Since 4/22/2005

     

    Decision is final: slain wife

    Posted By KYLE REA, Times-Journal

    Eugena Smith expected "wagging tongues to flutter with delight" after they read the letter she wrote saying she was leaving the Jehovah's Witness church.

    That comes from a five-page draft of the missive, read aloud to a trial jury on Wednesday and addressed to the Watchtower Bible Society of Jehovah's Witnesses. It was found by investigators lying among a pile of clothing on the floor of Eugena Smith's bedroom, shortly after the 33-year-old St. Thomas woman was found murdered in her 9 Balaclava St. home in June, 2007.

    Her estranged husband Michael Smith, 37, is on trial for first-degree murder in the city's Superior Court of Justice.

    The couple's daughter, who was three-and-a-half years old in June, 2007, wasn't home at the time.

    Justice Peter Hockin is hearing the case, which is expected to last five weeks.

    The Crown argued in an opening statement Tuesday that Eugena Smith was trying to leave both her husband, and her church, just days before she died on June 7, 2007. Michael Smith, the Crown says, thought she was having an affair.

    Among a mountain of evidence presented in court on Wednesday, Eugena's draft letter stated "I no longer wish to associate myself with the (Watchtower) organization" and urged people not to persuade her to come back.

    "My decision is final."

    Wednesday also saw testimony from Const. Terri Hikele and Const. Marc Vaughan, two St. Thomas identification officers who investigated, photographed and video-taped both Eugena Smith's home and Michael Smith's Talbot Street apartment. The court heard cellphones, computers, medication and clothing were seized by police.

    Some objects, such as a black woman's shirt cut from neck to waist, a pair of thong underwear, stained bed sheets and wads of toilet paper with a red substance on it, all found in Eugena Smith's bedroom, were sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto for testing.

    Swabs taken from Michael Smith's penis and a sexual assault test kit with samples taken at Eugena Smith's autopsy were also sent away to be tested, the court heard.

    Photos, video and items seized from Michael Smith's apartment were also presented to the jury. One of those items included a letter from Michael Smith's father, Joseph, addressed, "To my son."

    Read aloud for the jury by Vaughan, the letter asks forgiveness for a "previous outburst," and talks about a heated argument involving Eugena Smith and her inlaws. In the letter Joseph Smith worries he won't get a chance to see his granddaughter again.

    "Don't make (her) pay for a few words."

    The trial continues today.
    leavingwt Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 18:53:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Mississippi

    Post 2616 of 14413
    Since 6/16/2008

    That is one wild news article.

     
    BurnTheShips Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 18:55:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 10780 of 19019
    Since 8/28/2006

    Wow.
    snowbird Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 19:02:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Alabama

    Post 7658 of 25315
    Since 5/2/2007

    I found this on a message board about the homicide.

    This is a close to home story, I knew this woman we were just starting a friendship and this news saddens me deeply.

    On a personal note I can add to this story. She was planning a nice birthday party for her daughters 4th birthday in July. She was also in the process of trying to leave her families religion around the same time as leaving her husband, she was really starting a new life. The religion she was in did not celebrate birthdays so it was a very special event for her. She will be greatly missed!

    Sylvia

     
    yknot Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 19:11:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    Syrian Arab Republic

    Post 4368 of 9668
    Since 8/24/2007

    So very very very sad....

    His actions show no concern for their daughter!

    When is murder/suicide ever the answer in a free society?

    Sad Sad Sad.....
    ziddina Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 19:32:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit




    Post 349 of 10369
    Since 4/8/2009

    "When is murder/suicide ever the answer in a free society?"

    WTBTS isn't a 'free' society...   Hard to tell whether this is totally "domestic violence" or whether the cult thinking had something to do with it...

    Further info forthcoming as a result of the trial should be informative...  Zid
    jamiebowers Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 19:36:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Ohio

    Post 1734 of 5950
    Since 1/27/2007

    I wonder if she ever posted here.
    carla Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 20:39:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit




    Post 4959 of 6462
    Since 4/23/2005

    Sad, I wonder what will happen to the child now? back to jw relatives?

    Link doesn't work and story does not come up on St Thomas Times Journal either.
    AndersonsInfo Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 20:59:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Tennessee

    Post 477 of 870
    Since 4/22/2005

    Hey Carla. I tried the link too, and it's the strangest thing, it worked fine this morning when I was sent the link through email. Now I get an error when I click the same link I previously did. I wonder if the newspaper removed the article? Anybody know how things like this happen? 
    ziddina Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 21:30:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit




    Post 351 of 10369
    Since 4/8/2009

    This link may work:  http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1586180

    Here's a different news agency's report...  http://boards.library.trutv.com/showthread.php?t=282134

    And I think this is a version of your first post there:  http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1588079

    Hope these links work...

    Zid
    Dogpatch Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 21:52:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States California

    Post 2622 of 3812
    Since 12/26/2000

    Way too many of these sickos! 

    JW Family Murders page to bookmark:

    http://www.watchtowernews.org/familymurders.htm

    Randy

     

     
    watson Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 22:13:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 2736 of 4632
    Since 3/17/2005

    Boy, would I like to read that letter.
    AK - Jeff Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 22:31:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States Indiana

    Post 8833 of 11652
    Since 11/19/2004

    Was the husband a Jehovah's Witness? The article is not specific.

    Jeff
    daniel-p Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 22:39:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 3103 of 4737
    Since 10/22/2005

    This is one crazy and tragic story. Interesting to see what the jury finds.
    Hope4Others Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Thu, 28 May 2009 22:47:00 GMT (5/28/2009) edit


    Canada

    Post 4519 of 5103
    Since 1/28/2008

    That is pretty sad....

    h4o
    runningonfaith Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Fri, 29 May 2009 00:47:00 GMT (5/29/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 56 of 85
    Since 6/14/2008

    If the husband was a jw ,well,if stuff like this doesn't get people to see the wts is a cult i don't know what will.
    skeeter1 Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Fri, 29 May 2009 02:34:00 GMT (5/29/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 2036 of 4207
    Since 12/3/2005

    Hmmm.....

    There's a new Witchtower Asleep article on the right to choose religion and not being an outcast in your community.  Could that article have been written with this case in mind?  The Society likely knew the details about the crime scene and her disassociation letter as this happened a while ago.  Is the current article a way for WTS to distance itself from the husband who is accused of murdering his wife?  The WT article illustrates JW newbies, and I admit that it doesn't show or hint on how to treat apostates.  Perhaps that omission is also by design.  Once this high profile murder case is gone, then the WTS can go back to its mantra of "HATE, HATE, HATE (but stop short of killing) APOSTATES". 

    Now, for the rest of the story....Maybe the husband did just stop short of killing his wife (or so he thought).  That way, he will be able to remain as a good standing man in the congregation.  He may even be given priviledges..perhaps ushering or microphone work?

    Skeeter
    cameo-d Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Fri, 29 May 2009 02:43:00 GMT (5/29/2009) edit




    Post 3381 of 7371
    Since 7/30/2008

     

    Very sad.

     
    Nosferatu Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Fri, 29 May 2009 02:44:00 GMT (5/29/2009) edit


    Canada Manitoba

    Post 7084 of 7241
    Since 12/16/2002

    Since the husband was a JW and his wife was the one 'leaving Jehovah', which one is demonized according to Watchtower belief? Was the wife demonized because she left Jehovah? Was the husband demonized for killing his demonized wife?

    I would love to know what the JWs in that congregation think of the whole situation.

     

    Pretty sad that she was killed for starting a new life :(
    skeeter1 Re: Murdered woman left 5-pg letter disassociating herself. Husband on Trial posted Fri, 29 May 2009 03:04:00 GMT (5/29/2009) edit


    United States

    Post 2037 of 4207
    Since 12/3/2005

    Nosferatu,

    Or, was he just doing the loving thing of killing her.  If she hadn't turned in her letter, then the "elder meeting" hadn't happened.  So, she died as a faithful JW and will be ressurected in the New System.  Her daughter will also be spared and be brought into the New World, which is, after all, JUST around the corner.  It was an act of unselfish love of a husband and father to kill his wife. 

    Skeeter 
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