Timeline: Terry Smith Killing

A continuously updated timeline of events surrounding the investigation into the murder of an 11-year-old Menifee boy

Here is a timeline of the investigation into the death of an 11-year-old Riverside County boy whose disappearance led to a four-day search that ended with the discovery of a body behind his family's home in Menifee, a town about 80 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 - The boy's mother, Shawna Smith, went out to play pool with some friends and left her son, Terry Smith, with his older half brother. When Shawna checked in on them at about 1 a.m., she thought they were asleep.

Sunday, July 7 - Shawna discovered Terry was missing when she went into the bedroom to give him his medication. She reported him missing at 10:30 Sunday morning. Authorities along with bloodhounds, a helicopter and dozens of volunteers searched the area well into the night.

Monday, July 8 - Dozens of people continued to search in Menifee into the night despite scorching triple-digit temperatures. The search quickly grew to hundreds of volunteers.

Tuesday, July 9 - Investigators had no leads after speaking to registered sex offenders in the area. Some 700 volunteer searchers, including family and friends, gathered Tuesday, holding hands and praying. They were searching a largely rural 55-square-mile area in 100-degree heat.

Wednesday, July 10 - Partially exposed human remains were found in a shallow grave of the backyard of the Smith home. A 16-year-old family member was arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of Terry Smith. Terry’s father spoke out after the arrest and said it “didn’t come as a surprise.”

Thursday, July 11 - An Orange County psychic who describes herself as “an intuitive” said she led police to the body of 11-year-old Terry Smith on Tuesday night after she had a vision. As of Thursday evening, the Riverside County Coroner’s office still had not positively identified the body found in the Smiths’ backyard.

Local

Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.

LA to pay $80 per bed nightly for interim housing beds

Police investigating stabbing inside Bluebird Liquor in Hawthorne

A memorial site set up by community members continued to grow.

Friday, June 12 - Menifee residents set up online donation websites to help fund a funeral for Terry.

Exit mobile version